Preliminary findings for the validity of the Morningness–Eveningness-Stability Scale improved (MESSi): Correlations with activity levels and personality

ABSTRACT

Aim of the present study is an additional validation of the Morningness–Eveningness-Stability Scale improved (MESSi). We screened a total of 97 German students using the reduced Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) to identify a subsample (N = 42) of definite morning and evening types (31% males, mean age: 24.8 ± 5.8 years). The participants provided information about their sleep–wake rhythm (diary), personality traits (questionnaire) and experienced actigraphic monitoring. Correlations of the MESSi components “Morning affect subscale” (MA) (r = 0.91, p < 0.01) and “Eveningness subscale” (r = −0.87, p < 0.01) with the rMEQ showed good convergent validity. MA was also significantly negatively correlated with the acrophase and the midpoint of sleep as measured by actigraphy.

KEYWORDS:

• Chronotype
• MESSi
• sleep patterns
• activity level
• personality

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the students that participated in this study. We want to thank Dr. Jan Kühnhausen for his statistical support as well as the LEAD Graduate School & Research Network.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant of the Gips-Schüle-Stiftung. The foundation had no influence on the study, the results and the decision to publish.