Evening chronotype is more frequent in children and adolescents with OCD and is associated with lower symptom severity

Q: What is the main finding of this study?

Children and adolescents with OCD are more likely to have an evening chronotype, and those with evening chronotype show less severe OCD symptoms.

Q: How was chronotype measured?

Chronotype was assessed using the Children's Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ), a validated psychometric tool.

Q: Were biological markers used?

Yes, morning salivary melatonin and cortisol levels were measured as endogenous circadian markers.

Q: Does this study prove that evening chronotype causes lower OCD severity?

No, the cross-sectional design cannot establish causality; it only shows an association.

In a case-control study of 29 children/adolescents with OCD and 30 matched controls, evening chronotype was significantly more common in the OCD group (p<0.05). Within the OCD group, those with evening chronotype had significantly lower CY-BOCS scores (p<0.05) and higher morning salivary melatonin levels (p<0.05), while cortisol did not differ.

Last updated: Jul 31, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score32/100

Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆

Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆

Mechanism★★★★★

Safety★★★★☆

Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Chronotype preference and circadian markers in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A case-control study.

observational

Yazar Kahraman EM, Uçar HN, Çetin FH, Akyürek F, Türkoğlu S · Sleep medicine (2026)

Participants: 59

Duration: N/A

Intervention: Comparison of chronotype distribution (evening vs. non-evening) between OCD and control groups

Outcome: Chronotype frequency, OCD symptom severity (CY-BOCS), morning salivary melatonin and cortisol levels

Effect Size: N/A

Population: Children and adolescents aged 6-18 years with OCD (n=29) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n=30)

Result: In a case-control study of 29 children/adolescents with OCD and 30 matched controls, evening chronotype was significantly more common in the OCD group (p<0.05). Within the OCD group, those with evening chronotype had significantly lower CY-BOCS scores (p<0.05) and higher morning salivary melatonin levels (p<0.05), while cortisol did not differ.

PubMed: 42497814 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2026.109152

Mechanism Graph

Circadian rhythm disruption may influence OCD pathophysiology

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Evening chronotype reflects altered circadian timing

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Higher morning melatonin in evening chronotype suggests phase delay

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Phase delay may modulate OCD symptom expression

Limitations

⚠Small sample size (n=29 OCD, n=30 controls)
⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
⚠Single morning measurement of melatonin and cortisol may not capture full circadian profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main finding of this study?▼

Children and adolescents with OCD are more likely to have an evening chronotype, and those with evening chronotype show less severe OCD symptoms.

How was chronotype measured?▼

Chronotype was assessed using the Children's Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ), a validated psychometric tool.

Were biological markers used?▼

Yes, morning salivary melatonin and cortisol levels were measured as endogenous circadian markers.

Does this study prove that evening chronotype causes lower OCD severity?▼

No, the cross-sectional design cannot establish causality; it only shows an association.

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References

1.Yazar Kahraman EM, Uçar HN, Çetin FH, Akyürek F, Türkoğlu S. "Chronotype preference and circadian markers in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A case-control study.." Sleep medicine, 2026. PMID: 42497814 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2026.109152

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