The relationship between latitude and seasonality remains ambiguous. There have been divergent findings in the previous literature; some... Show moreThe relationship between latitude and seasonality remains ambiguous. There have been divergent findings in the previous literature; some researchers find that residing at northern latitudes is correlated with increased seasonal symptoms, while other researchers have not found a relationship. Prior research has predominantly used crosssectional self-report surveys to assess the seasonality of groups ofparticipants at different latitudes. This study, in contrast, aimed to take advantage of a comparison between students native to the Northern U.S. and students who are moving to university to examine whether the difference between prior seasonality and current winter seasonal symptoms was moderated by the latitude ofprior residence. Students at a Midwestern technological university were assessed in both summer and winter. Results indicated that latitude was not a moderator of this relationship, however methodological limitations such as low retention and difficulty measuring prior latitude suggest caution in interpreting findings as evidence against latitude - seasonality association. M.S. in Psychology, December 2012 Show less
