Study finds association between societal concerns and mental disorders
1 October 2026 · Trimbos Institute
Source: Trimbos Institute
Adults who are very concerned about societal issues such as climate change, COVID-19, international tensions, energy supplies, living costs and the housing market are more likely to have a mental disorder. This is reported by the Trimbos Institute's NEMESIS study involving 4,688 people. Although an association was found, the direction of cause and effect remains unknown.
In the second wave of NEMESIS-3, conducted between January 2023 and November 2024, people aged 21 to 78 were asked about various societal concerns. Around one in three participants were very concerned about international tensions or the housing market. One in four were very concerned about climate change, energy supplies or everyday living costs. Fewer than 2% were very concerned about COVID-19. On average, participants reported being very concerned about one or two topics.
More societal concerns, higher prevalence of mental disorders
People who were very concerned about societal problems more often had a mental disorder than those with few or no such concerns. For example, people worried about COVID-19, international tensions, energy supplies or the housing market more often had mood disorders, anxiety disorders or alcohol- or drug-use disorders. Among those very concerned about international tensions, 21.9% had a mental disorder; among those very concerned about everyday living costs, the figure was 28.0%. People very concerned about climate change more often had anxiety disorders and alcohol- or drug-use disorders, while those concerned about living costs more often had mood and anxiety disorders.
Lead researcher Margreet ten Have explained that the researchers do not yet know what is cause and what is effect. Greater societal concern might increase the risk of a mental disorder, but people with a mental disorder might also become concerned more readily about societal developments. She suggested considering these concerns when people seek help.
Young adults aged 21–27 were more concerned about living costs
In general, older adults were more concerned about climate change, international tensions and energy supplies. Young adults aged 21–27 were more concerned about everyday living costs, and the youngest group in particular was worried about the housing market. People aged 28–47 had the fewest concerns on average about these societal issues. Women reported more concerns than men.
About the study
NEMESIS is a large-scale, long-running Trimbos Institute study of mental wellbeing, health and life experiences among Dutch adults, commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. Interviewers from Ipsos I&O conduct interviews in participants' homes. They use a diagnostic instrument to establish the presence of mental disorders and ask about factors that may be associated with mental health, including societal concerns. The second NEMESIS-3 wave took place from January 2023 to November 2024 and included 4,688 participants aged 21–78.