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Very few studies have focused on differences in chronotype around the globe. In this study, morningness-eveningness was measured using the Composite Scale of Morningness and the midpoint of sleep on free days (corrected for sleep debt, MSF(sc)) in adolescents of sixteen German schools abroad, dispersed all over the world, and for comparison pupils attending German schools. There was no influence of duration of residence in the respective locality, and sex differences were weak. Age correlated negatively with morningness. A significant influence of climate zone (temperate, subtropics, tropics) was found, with adolescents in the subtropics being the latest chronotypes, and an interaction of agexclimate zone was identified. Significant associations between chronotype and longitude and latitude were identified within the time zone of central Europe. Adolescents were found to be more morning oriented both toward the East and North. The results indicate that climate, longitude, and latitude contribute to chronotype.
Christoph Randler (Tue,) studied this question.