TIPOLOGIA CIRCADIANA DE ADULTOS JOVENS:DIFERENÇAS DE GÊNERO

by ALAM, MARIANE FARIAS

Objective: To analyze circadian typology (diurnal preference) and genderdifferences in a university student population from Southern Brazil. Methods:Seven hundred and thirty six university student volunteers, with an age range 17-49 yr, filled the Brazilian version of the Chronotype Questionnaire (CQ), theportuguese translation of the Horne and Östberg?s Morningness-EveningnessQuestionnaire (MEQ). Central and dispersion tendencies measures and CQscores distribution curve (Kolmogorov-Smirnov) were calculated according togender (Student t), age, birth season, and daylight-saving time discomfort (quisquare),with significance level of p<0.05. Results: Six hundred and fourty eightindividuals (36% men; 64% women) were included in this study, with 12% oflosses due to incorrect questionnaires. CQ score distribution was correlated tothe normal curve (range=18-77; mean=46.6; s.d.=10.8). In this sample, 32%were evening-types; 54% were intermediate-types, and 14% were morning-types.CQ means were significatively different (p=0.003) when males (44.9±10.8) werecompared to females (47.5±10.7), and 70% of those born during spring andsummer were evening-types (p=0.015).There was no gender-by-seasonassociation. Conclusions: Men, and Individuals born in spring-summer,presented eveningness preference, without gender-birth season interaction. Ourresults are also in agreement with studies performed in the NorthernHemisphere, which showed an association between birth season and diurnalpreference