Dados do Trabalho

Título

Influence of circadian patterns on emotional-behavioral symptoms: a community study

Introdução

Disruption of the circadian system has a negative impact on mental health. In addition, the focus of the studies has been on the effects of sleep duration and sleep variability on emotional symptoms, and few have evaluated the impact of circadian patterns.

Objetivo

This study investigated the influence of circadian sleep patterns on emotional and behavioral symptoms in a large community sample of Brazilian children and adolescents.

Métodos

This was a cross-sectional study of 454 school-aged children and adolescents (mean age 12.81±2.56 years; 58.6% female). The outcome, Clinical, Borderline and Non-clinical behavior, was classified by the Child Behavior Checklist. As factors, were considered school start time and circadian sleep parameters. Sleep parameters were assessed by self-reported sleep duration, bedtime and wake up time differences, sleep deficit, midpoint of sleep on weekdays and weekend, social jetlag and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. This study was performed according to international ethical guidelines (protocol number #12-0386 GPPG/HCPA).

Resultados

Students with a morning school start time and classified as clinical group had shorter duration of sleep and earlier circadian sleep patterns. In a binary logistic regression model, the variables that predicted emotional and behavioral symptoms were older age, earlier midpoint of sleep on weekdays, shorter sleep duration on weekdays and morning school start time.

Conclusões

These findings emphasize the importance of circadian sleep patterns and the effects of school start time on emotional and behavioral symptoms in children and adolescents.

Palavras-chave

child and adolescent psychiatry; sleep; behavior; chronobiology; circadian rhythm.