Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire [MEQ-19]

Description

The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ-19) is a self-assessment instrument designed to evaluate an individual’s chronotype, referring to natural preferences regarding the times of day when a person tends to feel most energetic, active, and productive.

The questionnaire is based on the observation that individuals differ in their preferred timing of sleep, awakening, and daily activities. According to these preferences, chronotypes are primarily distinguished between morning types and evening types, while the scoring system also identifies an intermediate category.

The MEQ-19 therefore provides a systematic method for assessing individual differences in morningness and eveningness and for determining an individual’s general preference within the morningness-eveningness continuum.

Objective

The primary objective of the MEQ-19 is to determine whether an individual demonstrates a greater tendency toward a morning or evening chronotype.

This information can be used to improve understanding of individual temporal preferences and, according to the available material, may contribute to improvements in health, performance, and well-being.

Identifying an individual’s chronotype may also provide useful information for adapting work and sleep schedules so that they correspond more closely to the person’s natural temporal preferences.

Questionnaire Structure

The MEQ consists of 19 questions addressing different aspects of an individual’s daily temporal preferences.

The questions primarily concern:

  • preferred waking times;
  • preferred sleeping times;
  • energy levels throughout the day;
  • preferred times for performing different activities.

By combining information across these areas, the questionnaire generates an overall score that can be used to classify the individual’s preference toward morningness or eveningness.

Scoring

According to the available material, the 19 MEQ questions are scored on scales ranging from 1 to 4 or 5, depending on the specific question.

The total score is calculated by summing the scores obtained from the individual questions.

The direction of the score is important for interpretation:

Higher scores indicate a stronger preference for morning hours.

Lower scores indicate a stronger preference for evening hours.

The overall score therefore provides a quantitative indication of an individual’s position along the morningness-eveningness continuum.

Score Interpretation

According to the scoring information provided in the source material, total MEQ-19 scores can be classified into three principal chronotype categories:

Morning Type: approximately 59–86

Individuals with higher scores demonstrate a greater preference for morning hours.

Intermediate Type: approximately 42–58

Scores within this range correspond to individuals who do not demonstrate a strong preference exclusively toward either morningness or eveningness.

Evening Type: approximately 16–41

Individuals with lower scores demonstrate a greater preference for evening hours.

This classification provides a straightforward interpretation of the overall questionnaire score and allows individuals to be categorized according to their general temporal preference.

Analysis and Use of Results

The total MEQ-19 score can be used as a quantitative indicator of an individual’s preference toward morningness or eveningness.

Classification into morning, intermediate, or evening types facilitates interpretation and provides a structured method for examining differences in daily temporal preferences.

In practical applications, information concerning chronotype may be used to support better alignment of sleep and work schedules with an individual’s natural preferences.

The resulting scores can also provide an organized framework for examining differences between individuals in the times of day during which they tend to feel most energetic and productive.

Applications

The MEQ-19 can be used in contexts where identifying individual temporal preferences is relevant.

Classification as a morning, intermediate, or evening type can provide useful information regarding how an individual’s daily schedule may be organized.

In particular, chronotype information can be considered when adapting sleep and work schedules so that they correspond more closely with an individual’s natural preferences.

According to the available material, using this information may contribute to improvements in health, performance, and well-being.

Interpretation Considerations

The MEQ-19 provides an assessment of an individual’s preference toward morningness or eveningness based on responses concerning sleep, waking, energy levels, and preferred activity times.

Its total score should therefore be interpreted primarily as an indication of chronotype preference.

The classification into morning, intermediate, and evening types provides a practical framework for understanding these preferences and for considering how daily schedules may correspond with an individual’s natural patterns.

Conclusions

The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ-19) is a 19-item instrument designed to assess chronotype and, more specifically, an individual’s preference toward morning or evening hours.

Through questions concerning sleep and waking times, energy levels, and preferred times for daily activities, the questionnaire generates an overall score that allows individuals to be classified as morning, intermediate, or evening types.

Identification of chronotype can contribute to a better understanding of an individual’s natural temporal preferences and may provide useful information for adapting sleep and work schedules accordingly.

References

Horne, J. A., & Östberg, O. (1976). A self-assessment questionnaire to determine morningness-eveningness in human circadian rhythms. International Journal of Chronobiology, 4(2), 97–110.

Adan, A., & Almirall, H. (1991). Horne & Östberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire: A reduced scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 12(3), 241–253. DOI: 10.1016/0191-8869(91)90110-W

Roenneberg, T., Wirz-Justice, A., & Merrow, M. (2003). Life between clocks: Daily temporal patterns of human chronotypes. Journal of Biological Rhythms, 18(1), 80–90. DOI: 10.1177/0748730402239679