The majority of adolescents in the United States do not obtain the recommended amount of sleep each night. While the reasons for this are multi-factorial, early school start times effect the amount of sleep an adolescent is able to achieve each night. Biological rhythms influence adolescents to stay up later and wake up later in the morning. School districts across the country are taking notice of adolescent sleep research and delaying their start times to better match adolescents' biological rhythms. However, the majority of the schools in the United States continue to start earlier than the recommended 8:30am start time, including the school district targeted in this project. The purpose of this project was to collect data from administrators whose schools had undergone a delay in school start time on the barriers and facilitating factors they found during the implementation. This information was then shared with the local school district.

abstract: This study investigated the relationship between school start times and academic and school behavioral outcomes among adolescents. Academic achievement test data from five high schools in a Southwestern school district were compared prior- and post- a school start time change. Behavioral discipline reports were also examined to determine if earlier start times resulted in more behavioral problems for students. Results indicated minimal changes in academic achievement scores, with some significant differences between school start times when examining students' performance by pass/fail categories. Behaviorally, there were statistically significant differences between school start times with regards to high frequency referrals (i.e., attendance-related and defiance and disrespect towards authority), and total Office Discipline Referrals. Results are discussed in relationship to previous research on sleep and school start times along with the implications for adolescent school performance. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Psychology 2014

Objetivo: Avaliar a relação do turno escolar e o ritmo circadiano de crianças e adolescentes sob a expressão de sintomas comportamentais e de níveis de cortisol e melatonina. Métodos: Estudo transversal envolvendo 639 estudantes do ensino fundamental e médio (idade média de 13,03 anos, variando de 8–18; 58,5% meninas) recrutados em cidades localizadas na região do Vale do Taquari, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Na segunda fase, 80 participantes foram selecionados aleatoriamente para coleta de saliva para análise de melatonina e cortisol. Os parâmetros circadianos do sono foram acessados pelo auto-relato de duração do sono nos dias de semana e fins de semana, diferenças no horário de acordar e dormir, déficit de sono, ponto médio do sono nos dias de semana e fins de semana, jetlag social e pela versão em português do Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) para avaliação do cronotipo. Os desfechos, níveis de melatonina e cortisol salivares, foram medidos através de amostras de saliva pela manhã, tarde e noite, e problemas de comportamento (sintomas psiquiátricos), foram avaliados usando a Lista de verificação comportamental para crianças e adolescentes (em inglês, Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL). O estudo foi realizado de acordo com as diretrizes éticas internacionais (número de aprovação no comitê de ética: 12-0386 GPPG/HCPA). Resultados: No primeiro artigo, estudantes do turno da manhã eram significativamente mais velhos, apresentavam maior diferença entre os horários de acordar e dormir, maior déficit de sono e jetlag social. O déficit de sono apresentado por meninas foi maior do que o observado em meninos da mesma idade. regressão multivariada, utilizando o método passo-a-passo, identificou jetlag social, diferença nos horários de acordar nos dias de semana e fins de semana e ponto médio nos fins de semana como preditores significativos de déficit de sono. O segundo artigo demonstrou que o turno escolar influenciou a secreção de melatonina, a qual se correlacionou com os parâmetros do sono circadianos, diferentemente para o grupo não-clínico e clínico. Os níveis de melatonina foram positivamente correlacionados com ponto médio do sono em estudantes do turno da manhã, e negativamente correlacionados com ponto médio do sono em estudantes do turno da tarde. No terceiro artigo, identificou-se idade, horário de início da escola, ponto médio de sono e duração do sono nos dias de semana como preditores de sintomas psiquiátricos, avaliados pelo CBCL. Os estudantes do turno da manhã, classificados como cronotipo do tipo vespertino, apresentaram menor duração do sono durante a semana e maior jetlag social do que estudantes do tipo matutino. Além disso, os alunos do turno da manhã com sintomas psiquiátricos apresentaram menor duração do sono e padrão circadiano de sono mais cedo. Conclusões: Os achados do presente estudo mostram que o turno escolar influencia os parâmetros circadianos de sono, fatores fisiológicos e sintomas psiquiátricos em crianças e adolescentes. Nossos resultados reforçam a importância de redirecionar crianças e adolescentes para um turno escolar que contemple as preferências individuais de sono, prevenindo as consequências negativas à saúde, tanto no sono quanto em sintomas psiquiátricos. / Objective: To evaluate the relationship of the school schedules and the circadian rhythm of children and adolescents under the expression of behavioral symptoms and cortisol and melatonin levels. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 639 elementary and high school students (mean age 13.03 years, range 8–18, 58.5% female) recruited from the cities located in the Vale do Taquari region, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In the second phase, 80 participants were randomly selected for saliva collection to analyze melatonin and cortisol. Circadian sleep parameters were assessed by self-reported sleep duration on weekdays and weekends, bedtime and wake time differences, sleep deficit, midpoint of sleep on weekdays and weekends, social jetlag, and the Portuguese version of Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) for assessment of chronotype. The outcomes, salivary melatonin and cortisol levels, were measured in morning, afternoon, and night saliva samples, and behavior problems (psychiatric symptoms) were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). This study was performed according to international ethical guidelines (ethics committee approval number: 12–0386 GPPG/HCPA). Results: In the first article, the morning-school-time students presented significantly higher age, bedtime and wake up differences, sleep deficits, and social jetlag. The sleep deficit presented by girls was greater than that observed in boys of the same age. A step-by-step multivariate logistic regression identified social jetlag, the difference between waking times on weekdays and weekends, and the mid-point of sleep on weekends as significant predictors of sleep deficit. In the second article, school start time influenced the melatonin secretion, which correlated with circadian sleep parameters, although differently for non-clinical and clinical groups. Melatonin levels were positively correlated with sleep midpoint in morning students, and negatively correlated with sleep midpoint in afternoon students. In the third article, we identified age, school start time, midpoint of sleep on weekdays, and sleep duration on weekdays as predictors of psychiatric symptoms, as evaluated by the CBCL. Students with a morning school start time whose chronotype was classified as evening had shorter sleep duration on weekdays and higher social jetlag than morning-type participants. Moreover, students with a morning school start time and psychiatric symptoms had shorter duration of sleep and earlier circadian sleep patterns. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that school start time influences on the circadian sleep patterns, physiological factors and psychiatric symptoms in children and adolescents. Our findings emphasize the importance to redirect children and adolescents for a school start time that includes the individual preferences of sleep, preventing the negative health consequences, both in sleep and in psychiatric symptoms.

In this essay I have studied how the kid’s school start are described in picture books. The studied questions are: How the school is described in these selected picture books; what feeling does the main character have into the school start; how the teachers are described in this selected picture books and how are the power relationship described in these selected picture books? The method I have chosen for this essay is a discourse analysis of seven selected picture books with the meaning of starting school. All books studied are written during the 1990 and forward. The result of this essay is that the discourse is not so easy to establish. It seems clear about what Bergström och Boréus (2005) means about Foucault's opinion about the truth, that there is not just one truth. That we can see in this essay about the handled theme. There is a red line between most of the books but also some differences. In the analysis we have also been able to see different sides of the kid’s experience of the first day at school or by the thought of starting school. There is a majority of good thoughts from the young students and good descriptions by the end of the teacher, school building and the power relationship. But the largest difference between is how they describe different perspective and various feelings. The biggest difference is how they describe the feelings about beginning school, either very positive expectations or fear. But there is also a negative description of the same categories as above. Both the good and the negative thoughts is a part of the of the young students experience of the school start and that’s why there is not so easy to claim just one truth about the questions in this essay. Both the positive and negative illustration of the school start in the selected picture books. Like Borén (1997) says, are the school not problem-free, but there is a lot of joy too and that can we see in this essay.

Objetivo: Avaliar a relação do turno escolar e o ritmo circadiano de crianças e adolescentes sob a expressão de sintomas comportamentais e de níveis de cortisol e melatonina. Métodos: Estudo transversal envolvendo 639 estudantes do ensino fundamental e médio (idade média de 13,03 anos, variando de 8–18; 58,5% meninas) recrutados em cidades localizadas na região do Vale do Taquari, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Na segunda fase, 80 participantes foram selecionados aleatoriamente para coleta de saliva para análise de melatonina e cortisol. Os parâmetros circadianos do sono foram acessados pelo auto-relato de duração do sono nos dias de semana e fins de semana, diferenças no horário de acordar e dormir, déficit de sono, ponto médio do sono nos dias de semana e fins de semana, jetlag social e pela versão em português do Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) para avaliação do cronotipo. Os desfechos, níveis de melatonina e cortisol salivares, foram medidos através de amostras de saliva pela manhã, tarde e noite, e problemas de comportamento (sintomas psiquiátricos), foram avaliados usando a Lista de verificação comportamental para crianças e adolescentes (em inglês, Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL). O estudo foi realizado de acordo com as diretrizes éticas internacionais (número de aprovação no comitê de ética: 12-0386 GPPG/HCPA). Resultados: No primeiro artigo, estudantes do turno da manhã eram significativamente mais velhos, apresentavam maior diferença entre os horários de acordar e dormir, maior déficit de sono e jetlag social. O déficit de sono apresentado por meninas foi maior do que o observado em meninos da mesma idade. regressão multivariada, utilizando o método passo-a-passo, identificou jetlag social, diferença nos horários de acordar nos dias de semana e fins de semana e ponto médio nos fins de semana como preditores significativos de déficit de sono. O segundo artigo demonstrou que o turno escolar influenciou a secreção de melatonina, a qual se correlacionou com os parâmetros do sono circadianos, diferentemente para o grupo não-clínico e clínico. Os níveis de melatonina foram positivamente correlacionados com ponto médio do sono em estudantes do turno da manhã, e negativamente correlacionados com ponto médio do sono em estudantes do turno da tarde. No terceiro artigo, identificou-se idade, horário de início da escola, ponto médio de sono e duração do sono nos dias de semana como preditores de sintomas psiquiátricos, avaliados pelo CBCL. Os estudantes do turno da manhã, classificados como cronotipo do tipo vespertino, apresentaram menor duração do sono durante a semana e maior jetlag social do que estudantes do tipo matutino. Além disso, os alunos do turno da manhã com sintomas psiquiátricos apresentaram menor duração do sono e padrão circadiano de sono mais cedo. Conclusões: Os achados do presente estudo mostram que o turno escolar influencia os parâmetros circadianos de sono, fatores fisiológicos e sintomas psiquiátricos em crianças e adolescentes. Nossos resultados reforçam a importância de redirecionar crianças e adolescentes para um turno escolar que contemple as preferências individuais de sono, prevenindo as consequências negativas à saúde, tanto no sono quanto em sintomas psiquiátricos. / Objective: To evaluate the relationship of the school schedules and the circadian rhythm of children and adolescents under the expression of behavioral symptoms and cortisol and melatonin levels. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 639 elementary and high school students (mean age 13.03 years, range 8–18, 58.5% female) recruited from the cities located in the Vale do Taquari region, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In the second phase, 80 participants were randomly selected for saliva collection to analyze melatonin and cortisol. Circadian sleep parameters were assessed by self-reported sleep duration on weekdays and weekends, bedtime and wake time differences, sleep deficit, midpoint of sleep on weekdays and weekends, social jetlag, and the Portuguese version of Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) for assessment of chronotype. The outcomes, salivary melatonin and cortisol levels, were measured in morning, afternoon, and night saliva samples, and behavior problems (psychiatric symptoms) were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). This study was performed according to international ethical guidelines (ethics committee approval number: 12–0386 GPPG/HCPA). Results: In the first article, the morning-school-time students presented significantly higher age, bedtime and wake up differences, sleep deficits, and social jetlag. The sleep deficit presented by girls was greater than that observed in boys of the same age. A step-by-step multivariate logistic regression identified social jetlag, the difference between waking times on weekdays and weekends, and the mid-point of sleep on weekends as significant predictors of sleep deficit. In the second article, school start time influenced the melatonin secretion, which correlated with circadian sleep parameters, although differently for non-clinical and clinical groups. Melatonin levels were positively correlated with sleep midpoint in morning students, and negatively correlated with sleep midpoint in afternoon students. In the third article, we identified age, school start time, midpoint of sleep on weekdays, and sleep duration on weekdays as predictors of psychiatric symptoms, as evaluated by the CBCL. Students with a morning school start time whose chronotype was classified as evening had shorter sleep duration on weekdays and higher social jetlag than morning-type participants. Moreover, students with a morning school start time and psychiatric symptoms had shorter duration of sleep and earlier circadian sleep patterns. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that school start time influences on the circadian sleep patterns, physiological factors and psychiatric symptoms in children and adolescents. Our findings emphasize the importance to redirect children and adolescents for a school start time that includes the individual preferences of sleep, preventing the negative health consequences, both in sleep and in psychiatric symptoms.

Objetivo: Avaliar a relação do turno escolar e o ritmo circadiano de crianças e adolescentes sob a expressão de sintomas comportamentais e de níveis de cortisol e melatonina. Métodos: Estudo transversal envolvendo 639 estudantes do ensino fundamental e médio (idade média de 13,03 anos, variando de 8–18; 58,5% meninas) recrutados em cidades localizadas na região do Vale do Taquari, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Na segunda fase, 80 participantes foram selecionados aleatoriamente para coleta de saliva para análise de melatonina e cortisol. Os parâmetros circadianos do sono foram acessados pelo auto-relato de duração do sono nos dias de semana e fins de semana, diferenças no horário de acordar e dormir, déficit de sono, ponto médio do sono nos dias de semana e fins de semana, jetlag social e pela versão em português do Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) para avaliação do cronotipo. Os desfechos, níveis de melatonina e cortisol salivares, foram medidos através de amostras de saliva pela manhã, tarde e noite, e problemas de comportamento (sintomas psiquiátricos), foram avaliados usando a Lista de verificação comportamental para crianças e adolescentes (em inglês, Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL). O estudo foi realizado de acordo com as diretrizes éticas internacionais (número de aprovação no comitê de ética: 12-0386 GPPG/HCPA). Resultados: No primeiro artigo, estudantes do turno da manhã eram significativamente mais velhos, apresentavam maior diferença entre os horários de acordar e dormir, maior déficit de sono e jetlag social. O déficit de sono apresentado por meninas foi maior do que o observado em meninos da mesma idade. regressão multivariada, utilizando o método passo-a-passo, identificou jetlag social, diferença nos horários de acordar nos dias de semana e fins de semana e ponto médio nos fins de semana como preditores significativos de déficit de sono. O segundo artigo demonstrou que o turno escolar influenciou a secreção de melatonina, a qual se correlacionou com os parâmetros do sono circadianos, diferentemente para o grupo não-clínico e clínico. Os níveis de melatonina foram positivamente correlacionados com ponto médio do sono em estudantes do turno da manhã, e negativamente correlacionados com ponto médio do sono em estudantes do turno da tarde. No terceiro artigo, identificou-se idade, horário de início da escola, ponto médio de sono e duração do sono nos dias de semana como preditores de sintomas psiquiátricos, avaliados pelo CBCL. Os estudantes do turno da manhã, classificados como cronotipo do tipo vespertino, apresentaram menor duração do sono durante a semana e maior jetlag social do que estudantes do tipo matutino. Além disso, os alunos do turno da manhã com sintomas psiquiátricos apresentaram menor duração do sono e padrão circadiano de sono mais cedo. Conclusões: Os achados do presente estudo mostram que o turno escolar influencia os parâmetros circadianos de sono, fatores fisiológicos e sintomas psiquiátricos em crianças e adolescentes. Nossos resultados reforçam a importância de redirecionar crianças e adolescentes para um turno escolar que contemple as preferências individuais de sono, prevenindo as consequências negativas à saúde, tanto no sono quanto em sintomas psiquiátricos. / Objective: To evaluate the relationship of the school schedules and the circadian rhythm of children and adolescents under the expression of behavioral symptoms and cortisol and melatonin levels. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 639 elementary and high school students (mean age 13.03 years, range 8–18, 58.5% female) recruited from the cities located in the Vale do Taquari region, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In the second phase, 80 participants were randomly selected for saliva collection to analyze melatonin and cortisol. Circadian sleep parameters were assessed by self-reported sleep duration on weekdays and weekends, bedtime and wake time differences, sleep deficit, midpoint of sleep on weekdays and weekends, social jetlag, and the Portuguese version of Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) for assessment of chronotype. The outcomes, salivary melatonin and cortisol levels, were measured in morning, afternoon, and night saliva samples, and behavior problems (psychiatric symptoms) were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). This study was performed according to international ethical guidelines (ethics committee approval number: 12–0386 GPPG/HCPA). Results: In the first article, the morning-school-time students presented significantly higher age, bedtime and wake up differences, sleep deficits, and social jetlag. The sleep deficit presented by girls was greater than that observed in boys of the same age. A step-by-step multivariate logistic regression identified social jetlag, the difference between waking times on weekdays and weekends, and the mid-point of sleep on weekends as significant predictors of sleep deficit. In the second article, school start time influenced the melatonin secretion, which correlated with circadian sleep parameters, although differently for non-clinical and clinical groups. Melatonin levels were positively correlated with sleep midpoint in morning students, and negatively correlated with sleep midpoint in afternoon students. In the third article, we identified age, school start time, midpoint of sleep on weekdays, and sleep duration on weekdays as predictors of psychiatric symptoms, as evaluated by the CBCL. Students with a morning school start time whose chronotype was classified as evening had shorter sleep duration on weekdays and higher social jetlag than morning-type participants. Moreover, students with a morning school start time and psychiatric symptoms had shorter duration of sleep and earlier circadian sleep patterns. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that school start time influences on the circadian sleep patterns, physiological factors and psychiatric symptoms in children and adolescents. Our findings emphasize the importance to redirect children and adolescents for a school start time that includes the individual preferences of sleep, preventing the negative health consequences, both in sleep and in psychiatric symptoms.

There is a noticeable difference in the debate regarding adolescents’ sleep patterns between the biological clock and society’s clock when we talk about adolescents. Sleep scientists or somnologists, are alarming as more evidence reach the surface that young people are not getting the recommended sleep that is required to perform academically well. Not only are there direct connections between sleep deficit and academic performance, but sleep deficit also takes a critical toll upon their physical and mental health. The problem is that adolescents’ circadian cycle is postponed with a few hours compared to children and adults. This results in a major sleep deficit when adolescents must adjust to societal rhythms and habits – a clock they are not programmed biologically to follow. Adolescents must attend to school in the early morning, when in reality their needs point to that school times in fact should start around 10:00. Society’s view has traditionally been that teenagers are lazy but in fact evidence does prove that it may not be the case. The following essay will therefore serve as an informative update to what has been stated by somnologists and raise awareness regarding adolescents and what happens when they are exposed to a chronic sleep deficit put on them by society.

Annotation: Thesis characterizes contemporary nursery and basic school, direct basic methods and forms mutual cooperation these institutions and points out how to facilitate children the transition from pre-school to primary education. The methods which have used are method of observation and the structured interview. Observation was carried out on the selected nursery and basic schools. Interviews were realized with directors or executives these institutions and with experts from pedagogical- psychological counseling. The aim of the thesis was to find out how take place school enrollment in the current elementary schools, how the students are successful/unsuccessful, what are the most common reasons for postponements schooling. Thesis also shows that preschool children are able in a relatively short period of time of great expansion capability. Another aim was to determine the forms and methods of cooperation of individual nursery and primary schools. Work also points to the possible difficulties of children in nursery or later difficulties at the beginning of schooling. Work also points to the possible difficulties of children in nursery or later difficulties at the beginning of schooling. The work also highlights the awareness of parents and children regarding suspension of school attendance.