Mar 18, 2026
Morningness–Eveningness–Stability Scale improved (MESSi) and Mental Health
This protocol is a draft, published without a DOI.
- Joanna Gorgol-Walerianczyk1,
- Natasza Nowosadko2,
- Tomasz Kowalski2
- 1VIZJA University, Poland;
- 2Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Poland
Protocol Citation: Joanna Gorgol-Walerianczyk, Natasza Nowosadko, Tomasz Kowalski 2026. Morningness–Eveningness–Stability Scale improved (MESSi) and Mental Health. protocols.io https://protocols.io/view/morningness-eveningness-stability-scale-improved-m-jwercpbd7
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working.
Created: March 18, 2026
Last Modified: March 18, 2026
Protocol Integer ID: 313521
Keywords: eveningness, morningness, dimensions of the morningness, mental health outcome, mental health outcomes in adult population, mental health study protocol, affect, stability scale
Abstract
Study protocol for a systematic review aiming to synthesize the existing empirical evidence on the associations between the three dimensions of the Morningness–Eveningness–Stability Scale improved (MESSi)—morning affect, eveningness, and distinctness—and mental health outcomes in adult populations.
Troubleshooting
Step 1 — Define Study Aim
Aim: To systematically review and synthesize the existing empirical evidence on the associations between the dimensions of the Morningness–Eveningness–Stability Scale improved (MESSi), i.e., morning affect, eveningness, and distinctness, and mental health outcomes in adult populations.
Step 2 — Eligibility Criteria
The articles were included if they met all of the following criteria: (1) The study applied MESSi, original or adapted version. (2) The study reported original quantitative data. (3) Participants were adults aged 18 years or older. (4) The study reported a statistical association between at least one chronotype dimension measured by MESSi and a mental health outcome (i.e., depression/depressive symptoms, anxiety/anxiety symptoms, stress, distress, well-being, life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect).
The articles were excluded if they met any of the following criteria: (1) The study reported psychological variables that could not be clearly classified as mental health outcomes (e.g., personality traits, cognitive performance, or sleep quality). (2) The study included both adult and underage participants, if results for adult samples were not reported separately. (3) The study was a non-empirical publication, e.g., review article or commentary. (4) The article was classified as grey literature, including conference abstracts, dissertations, and other unpublished materials that were not published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Step 3 — Search Strategy
Citation tracking for original MESSi manuscript will be performed in the following databases: Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and PubMed Central.
Manuscript reference:
Randler, C., Díaz-Morales, J. F., Rahafar, A., & Vollmer, C. (2016). Morningness–eveningness and amplitude–development and validation of an improved composite scale to measure circadian preference and stability (MESSi). Chronobiology international, 33(7), 832-848.
Step 4 — Study Selection
All the references will be imported into a reference manager (Rayyan Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA).
Titles and abstracts will be screened independently by two independent reviewers.
Full texts of potentially eligible studies will be assessed independently by two reviewers.
"Discrepancies will be resolved through discussion; if necessary, a third reviewer will arbitrate.
The selection process will be documented with a PRISMA flowchart.
Step 5 — Data Management and Charting
The following data items will be extracted:
- Author and year
- Country of study
- Study design
- Sample size and characteristics
- Outcomes measured for MESSi dimensions, mental health, and assessment methods
- Statistical data regarding association characteristics between MESSi dimensions and mental health outcomes
The data extraction will be completed independently by two reviewers.
Step 6 — Collating, Summarizing, and Reporting
Extracted data will be collated and synthesized to summarize the evidence on the associations between the dimensions of the MESSi (morning affect, eveningness, and distinctness) and mental health outcomes. Study characteristics will be summarized in structured evidence tables. Findings will be organized according to MESSi dimensions and categories of mental health outcomes. Moreover, a narrative synthesis will be conducted to describe the direction and strength of associations across the included studies.
The methodological quality and risk of bias of the included studies will be independently assessed by two reviewers. The specific appraisal tools will be selected according to the study design of the included articles. Discrepancies between reviewers will be resolved through discussion, and if necessary, by consultation with a third reviewer.
If at least five studies report sufficiently comparable statistical data for the same MESSi dimension and mental health outcome, a quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis) will be conducted. In such cases, pooled effect sizes will be calculated and statistical heterogeneity will be assessed. If fewer than five comparable studies are identified, results will be summarized descriptively.
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses will be applied:
Page, M. J., Moher, D., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., ... & McKenzie, J. E. (2021). PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration: updated guidance and exemplars for reporting systematic reviews. bmj, 372.
Step 7 — Dissemination
The results-based article will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.