Seasonal Variations in Mood and Behavior in Romanian Postgraduate Students. (2007)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Seasonal Variations in Mood and Behavior in Romanian Postgraduate Students. (2007)
- Main Title:
- Seasonal Variations in Mood and Behavior in Romanian Postgraduate Students
- Authors:
- Soriano, Joseph J.
Ciupagea, Constantin
Rohan, Kelly J.
Neculai, Dorin B.
Yousufi, Samina M.
Guzman, Alvaro
Postolache, Teodor T. - Other Names:
- Merrick Joav Academic Editor.
- Abstract:
- Abstract : To our knowledge, this paper is the first to estimate seasonality of mood in a predominantly Caucasian sample, living in areas with hot summers and a relative unavailability of air conditioning. As a summer pattern of seasonal depression was previously associated with a vulnerability to heat exposure, we hypothesized that those with access to air conditioners would have a lower rate of summer seasonal affective disorder (SAD) compared to those without air conditioning. A convenience sample of 476 Romanian postgraduate students completed the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), which was used to calculate a global seasonality score (GSS) and to estimate the rates of winter- and summer-type SAD. The ratio of summer- vs. winter-type SAD was compared using multinomial probability distribution tests. We also compared the ratio of summer SAD in individuals with vs. without air conditioners. Winter SAD and winter subsyndromal SAD (S-SAD) were significantly more prevalent than summer SAD and summer S-SAD. Those with access to air conditioners had a higher, rather than a lower, rate of summer SAD. Our results are consistent with prior studies that reported a lower prevalence of summer than winter SAD in Caucasian populations. Finding an increased rate of summer SAD in the minority of those with access to air conditioners was surprising and deserves replication.
- Is Part Of:
- TheScientificWorldjournal. Volume 7(2007)
- Journal:
- TheScientificWorldjournal
- Issue:
- Volume 7(2007)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 7, Issue 2007 (2007)
- Year:
- 2007
- Volume:
- 7
- Issue:
- 2007
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2007-0007-2007-0000
- Page Start:
- 870
- Page End:
- 879
- Publication Date:
- 2007
- Subjects:
- seasonal affective disorder -- summer type SAD -- ethnic differences -- standard of living impact -- heat -- environmental temperature -- air conditioning -- environmental light
Science -- Periodicals
Technology -- Periodicals
Medicine -- Periodicals
505 - Journal URLs:
- https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/biblio/ ↗
- DOI:
- 10.1100/tsw.2007.127 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 2356-6140
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store
- Ingest File:
- 15818.xml