Abstract/Summary

Eveningness preference is associated with measures of poor wellbeing. However, recent research has found that Morning Affect (sleep inertia) and Distinctness (amplitude of diurnal variations in functioning) may be more strongly related to wellbeing indices. The current study investigated associations between Eveningness, Morning Affect, Distinctness, academic achievement, and student wellbeing (assessed with the College Student Subjective Wellbeing Scale). Data was obtained from an online survey of 232 Chinese university students aged 19-27 (mean = 20.65; SD = 1.365); additional measures included conscientiousness, mind wandering, sleep quality, life satisfaction, substance use, and use of electronic devices at night. Morning Affect (MA) was positively correlated with academic achievement, Academic Satisfaction and Academic Efficacy; Eveningness was positively correlated with School Connectedness and School Gratitude; Distinctness was negatively correlated with Academic Efficacy. The negative correlation between Eveningness and academic achievement was mediated by lower MA. The negative correlation between Eveningness and MA was mediated by more use of electronic devices at night, and also the negative correlation between use of electronic devices at night and MA was mediated by Eveningness. These results suggest potentially important relationships between use of electronic devices at night, circadian functioning, student wellbeing, and academic achievement.