Relationship Between Chronotype and Depression Schemasand Sensitivity To Depression in Medical Students

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to investigate the relationship between chronotype and depression schemas and sensitivity to depression in healthymedical students with sensitivity and cognitive scales. Materials and Methods: The study included 38 healthy fifth-year medical students enrolled in Van Yuzuncu Yil University MedicalFaculty. All the participants were administered a sociodemographic background questionnaire, followed by the Morningness Eveningness Questionnare (MEQ), the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), and the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised(LEIDS-R). Results: The average total MEQ score was 51.60 ± 8.71. No significant correlation was found between total DAS score total LEIDS-Rscore (p: 0.5847; r: 0.09154) and LEIDS-R type (p: 0.9081, r: 0.01936). Both MEQ type and total MEQ score established a significantcorrelation with the ‘perfectionism’ parameter on LEIDS-R. Moreover, the correlation between total MEQ score and ‘perfectionism’was at a moderate level (p: 0.0014, r: 0.50021), it indicated that the level of perfectionism increases with the increase in the tendencytowards morningness. Conclusion: No relationship was found between chronotype and tendency to depression among medical students. It was determinedthat the perfectionism scheme was strengthened with the increasing tendency towards the morningness. Hypothetically, thehyperactivation of morning-type features can be a protective factor against depression.