Relationship between circadian typology and risk-taking behaviors in adolescents: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Objective This study examined the relationship between circadian typology and risk-taking behavior. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 755 primary and junior school students aged 11–16 years. The Adolescent Risk-Taking Questionnaire and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire were administered to assess risk-taking behavior and circadian typology, respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to analyze the factors influencing risk-taking behavior. Results Circadian typology was negatively correlated with risk-taking behavior, with age and sex controlled for (Model 1). When family and class circumstances were added in Model 2, the significance of the association persisted (β = −1.67, 95% CI: [−2.93, −0.42], P = .009). However, the association between circadian typology and risk-taking behavior showed no significance (P = 0.050) when personality characteristics were controlled for in Model 3. Conclusions These results provide evidence indicating a relationship between circadian typology and risk-taking behavior, suggesting that evening circadian type is a risk factor for risk-taking behavior in adolescents.