A Study of the Relationship Between Chronotype, Gender, Psychopathology, and Preterm Birth

In recent years, a growing number of researchers have taken an interest in the relationship between psychopathology and sleep. However, few studies have investigated this relationship in vulnerable populations (e.g., preterm births) despite considerable research supporting a greater prevalence of both internalizing and externalizing disorders in at-risk groups. The current secondary data analysis aims to address this deficit of knowledge and to examine the relationship of chronotype with internalizing and externalizing disorder-linked traits in emerging adults, particularly those that were born preterm. Measures include an objective biometric evaluation of sleep (e.g., actigraphy, or electronic monitoring of rest/activity cycles) and subjective measures of internalizing and externalizing disorder traits. Additionally, given evidence of gender-related differences in internalizing and externalizing disorders as well as in chronotype, the study also seeks to investigate whether this relationship varies according to gender. Findings could have implications in better understanding the relationship between chronotype, gender, and psychopathology in a vulnerable population of young adults