---
title: "Are common mental disorders more persistent over time? Insights from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incident Studies (NEMESIS)"
description: "Abstract Background Recent increases in common mental disorder prevalence could partly reflect greater persistence of existing disorders. We examined 3-year persistence for anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders, defined as meeting diagnostic criteria at baseline and again during 3-year follow-up. We compared…"
datePublished: "2026-01-01"
lastmod: "2026-10-05T05:52:05+00:00"
authors:
  - "Artemis Gkitakou"
  - "Margreet Ten Have"
  - "Neeltje M. Batelaan"
  - "Annemarie I. Luik"
  - "Brenda W.J.H. Penninx"
journal: "Psychological Medicine"
publisher: "Cambridge University Press (CUP)"
doi: "10.1017/S0033291726105467"
publicationType: "journal-article"
schemaType: "ScholarlyArticle"
volume: "56"
license: "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0"
sponsor: "Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport; Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek"
language: "en-GB"
slug: "10.1017-s0033291726105467"
---

# Are common mental disorders more persistent over time? Insights from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incident Studies (NEMESIS)

**Authors:** Artemis Gkitakou, Margreet Ten Have, Neeltje M. Batelaan, Annemarie I. Luik, Brenda W.J.H. Penninx  
**Journal:** Psychological Medicine  
**Publisher:** Cambridge University Press (CUP)  
**Published:** 2026-01-01  
**Volume:** 56  
**DOI:** [10.1017/S0033291726105467](https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291726105467)

## Abstract

Abstract Background Recent increases in common mental disorder prevalence could partly reflect greater persistence of existing disorders. We examined 3-year persistence for anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders, defined as meeting diagnostic criteria at baseline and again during 3-year follow-up. We compared persistence rates with those observed 12 years earlier and investigated (changes in) determinants of persistence. Methods Data were from the third Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS-3), a population-based study ( N = 6,194; 18–75 years; interviewed 2019–2022 and 2023–2024). A slightly modified Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0 assessed DSM-5 and DSM-IV diagnoses. Persistence was described from two perspectives: narrow (presence of a mental disorder of the same diagnostic category during follow-up) and broad (presence of any anxiety, mood, and/or substance use disorder during follow-up). Twelve-year trends were examined by comparing DSM-IV persistence in NEMESIS-3 with NEMESIS-2 ( N = 6,646; interviewed 2007–2009 and 2010–2012) among adults aged 18–64 years. Results In NEMESIS-3, 3-year narrow persistence was 41.6% for anxiety, 48.0% for mood, and 40.3% for substance use disorders. Broad persistence was higher: 57.1%, 63.2%, and 55.1%, respectively. Persistence increased in 12 years across all disorder groups: broad persistence for any mental disorder was 42.7% in NEMESIS-2 and 57.9% in NEMESIS-3. Higher broad persistence was significantly associated with younger age, living in a city, childhood trauma, and near-daily drug use in multivariable analyses. These associations were stable over time. Conclusions Three-year persistence of common mental disorders is substantial and has increased compared with 12 years earlier, suggesting growing challenges for treatment and long-term care.

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