Age as a moderator of the association between depressive symptoms and morningness–eveningness
Received 23 October 2007; received in revised form 22 June 2009; accepted 26 June 2009. published online 05 October 2009.
Abstract
Objectives
We aimed to investigate the moderating effect of age on the association of morningness–eveningness with depression in subjects with a broad range of ages. The hypothesis of the current study was that there would be a relationship between depressive symptoms and eveningness, especially in young age groups.
Methods
Three hundred sixty-one subjects (male/female=140/221) from 19 to 79 years of age participated in the study. Subjects were separated into five age groups: (1) ≤20s (n=70), (2) 30s (n=85), (3) 40s (n=97), (4) 50s (n=54) and 5) ≥60s (n=55). The Horne–Osteberg Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies for Depression Scale (CES-D) were administered to all subjects.
Results
MEQ showed a significantly independent and negative association with CES-D (β=−.27, P<.001), which meant the association between eveningness and depressive symptoms. The negative association between MEQ and CES-D were significant in ≤20s (β=−.31, P=.01), 50s (β=−.38, P<.01) and ≥60s (β=−.35, P<.01), while there was no significant association between MEQ and CES-D in 30s (β=−.06, P=.56) and 40s (β=−.10, P=.32).
Conclusion
Our findings demonstrate an association of depressive symptoms with eveningness, which was more prominent in younger or older aged than in middle aged. Our findings suggest that the association between depressive symptoms and eveningness might be moderated by age.
aDepartment of Psychiatry, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, South Korea
bDepartment of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital College, Seoul, South Korea
Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, 395 Sindaebang-2-dong, Dongjak-ku, Seoul, 156-707, South Korea. Tel.: +82 2 840 2772; fax: +82 2 831 2826.
ABSTRACT