Evening chronotype (i.e., preferring to go to sleep and wake later in the day than peers) has consistently been shown to be associated with mental health symptoms and disorders. Adolescence is a time of significant developmental changes in chronotype, and a key phase of life for the onset of mental disorders, especially depressive disorders. Although some research suggests an association between greater Eveningness preference and poor mental health in adolescence, the literature has primarily been cross-sectional and/or retrospective. The current study examined the prospective relationships between chronotype and internalizing symptoms and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) over four waves of assessment during adolescence. Eveningness was prospectively associated with increasing levels of internalizing problems, especially anxiety and depressive symptoms, over multiple waves. Furthermore, the hypothesis that Eveningness would be prospectively associated with greater risk of developing MDD over a 6 year follow up period was also supported. These results suggest that Eveningness has prognostic value as a potential warning sign for emotional dysfunction and mental disorder during adolescence.
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