Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-27-2025
Journal / Book Title
Discover Mental Health
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this research was to examine the relationship between self-reported circadian disruption during the week and on weekends, and self-diagnosis of mental illness. It was hypothesized that circadian disruption would be associated with mental illness self-diagnosis.
Methods
Using previously collected data wherein undergraduate students completed a series of questionnaires we examined Weekday bedtime/waketime variability, measured via question two from the Sleep Disorders Symptom Check List -- 25, and calculated social jetlag score, examining these as a function of Mental Illness Diagnosis Category and Sex.
Results
Increased circadian disruption was significantly associated with more self-diagnosed mental illnesses (r = .10, p < .01), as well as with increased uncertainty about mental health status (r = .10, p = .004), while decreased circadian disruption was associated with fewer mental illnesses. Women reported more self- (Women X = 0.47, sd = 0.74; Men X = 0.26, sd = 0.67) and clinical (Women X = 0.61, sd = 1.0; Men X = 0.24, sd = 0.24) mental illness diagnoses than men.
Conclusions
It is not known if the circadian disruption-mental illness self-diagnosis and uncertainty relationship is directly casual, or mediated by negative behaviors associated with such disruption, including social media usage or sleep loss. Regardless, the findings have implications for shift workers, college students, and for other individuals who do not maintain a ‘regular’ sleep schedule.
DOI
10.1007/s44192-025-00337-9
MSU Digital Commons Citation
Propper, Ruth E.; Kang, John; and Sawyer, Michael, "Circadian rhythm disruption is related to self-diagnosis of mental illness" (2025). Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 710.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/psychology-facpubs/710
Rights
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
Published Citation
Propper, R.E., Kang, J. & Sawyer, M. Circadian rhythm disruption is related to self-diagnosis of mental illness. Discov Ment Health 5, 209 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00337-9