Horne and Ostberg questionnaire: A score distribution in a large sample of young adults

In the present study, the 'eveningness-morningness' dimension, as measured by the Horne and Ostberg (H&O) questionnaire, was examined in a college student population totalling over 1600 undergraduates. The majority of students were found to be evening types (62.4%), and 29.3% were neither type. Very few students were morning types (8.3%), and most of these individuals were significantly older than the students who were classified in the other two types. This is a first large-scale study showing the distribution of the H&O scores in a sample of young adult college students. Also, this study is the first report of significance found between the H&O typology (i.e, an evening acid morning type) and gender. Female participants showed significantly stronger tendency toward the morningness dimension (chi(2) = 7.05, P<0.05). Recommendations for future research are provided. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.