The role of social support in the relation between chronotype and mental health in a cohort of women from the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network

ABSTRACT

Women are disproportionally affected by psychological distress and lack of social support and are more vulnerable to the negative impact of chronotype on mental health. This study evaluates cross-sectional associations between chronotype and mental health, while assessing the mediating role of social support among women from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. Women from the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Research Network were included (N = 506, mean age = 37 ± 15.7, 61% racial/ethnic minority). Chronotype, depression, perceived stress, health-related quality of life, and social support were assessed at baseline using validated self-reported questionnaires. Linear regression and causal mediation analyses were performed. Depression and negative emotionality were higher among women with evening vs. morning/intermediate chronotypes (all p < 0.05). Multivariable analyses adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical confounders showed associations between evening chronotype and higher depression (p = 0.004) and negative emotionality (p = 0.010). However, these associations were no longer significant after adjusting for social support (depression: p = 0.12; negative emotionality: p = 0.18). Social support significantly mediated 44.6% and 45.8% of the total effect of chronotype on depression and negative emotionality, respectively. Social support represents a potential mechanism underlying the associations between eveningness and poor mental health. Chronotype and social support should be considered in interventions for the promotion of mental health in women.

KEYWORDS:

• Chronotype
• mental health
• depression
• stress
• negative emotionality
• quality of life
• social support
• women

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

De-identified data from this study are not available in a public archive. De-identified data from this study will be made available (as allowable according to institutional IRB standards) by emailing the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the American Heart Association [AHA16SFRN27960011, AHA811531]; National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [UL1TR001873]; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases [T32DK007559-31] and the Katz Family Foundation.