Slovenian adaptation of the Morningness-Eveningness-Stability Scales improved (MESSi)

ABSTRACT

Circadian preference can be measured by a set of questionnaires. While accepting the biological correlates as a good convergent criterion, researchers criticized currently used questionnaires because of their design, weighted number of items, unbalanced scoring or uneven Likert scales. This led to the development of a composite questionnaire, the Morningness-Eveningness-Stability-Scales improved (MESSi). The MESSi contains three constructs: morning affect (MA), eveningness (EV) and stability/distinctness (DI). The aim of this study was a preliminary assessment of a Slovenian translation of the MESSi. Students of five different study programs from the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, participated in the study (N = 275). The scales fit to a three-factor solution, based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach’s α were 0.82 (MA), 0.85 (EV), and 0.69 (DI). After allowing covariances (loading onto the same factor) the model fit was good (RMSEA = 0.055). Nearly all sleep-wake variables were correlated with MA and EV in the expected direction. As a conclusion, we can propose to use the MESSi also in Slovenia.

KEYWORDS:

• Circadian preference
• MESSi (Morningness-Eveningness-Stability Scales improved)
• scale development
• Slovenia

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Alenka Polak and Dr. Gregor Torkar for spending their lecture time for data collection, Corina Faßl for checking the manuscript and the Gips-Schüle Stiftung for financial support. The authors are grateful to the Universities of Ljubljana and Tübingen to provide the possibility for an exchange between IT and CR, which formed the basis of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.