Lianne de Vries, researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and her colleagues studied data collected before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. They analyzed repeated measurements from Dutch children and adolescents aged 8–18, with data available up to 2025.
The researchers used two general-population samples. The first consisted of parent-reported data on 39,178 children participating in the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR). The second included self-reported data from 2,782 children recruited through the KLIK research group.
Different patterns for depression, anxiety and anger
In the NTR study, the levels of internalising problems, such as anxiety and depression, and externalising problems, such as behavioural difficulties, reported by parents remained broadly stable between 2023 and 2025. However, both were still higher than before the pandemic.
The children’s own reports showed a more varied picture. In 2025, depressive symptoms were lower than in 2023, while anxiety had not changed significantly. Anger, on the other hand, was higher. Compared with the pre-pandemic period, self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety and anger all remained elevated in 2025.
Wellbeing also depends on who reports it
The results for wellbeing were similarly mixed. Children’s self-reported wellbeing in 2025 was comparable to 2023 and higher than during the pandemic. Parent-reported wellbeing remained stable in the KLIK sample, but was lower in the NTR in 2025. The researchers advise interpreting the latter finding with caution because fewer participants took part in this measurement and differences in the survey context or sample may have influenced the result.
The findings show why youth mental health cannot be captured by a single measure. Mental health problems and wellbeing are related, but wellbeing is more than the absence of symptoms. Reports from children and parents also provide complementary perspectives: children have direct insight into their emotions and experiences, while parents may notice other aspects of their behaviour and daily functioning.
Research collaboration led by DREAMS
The study was conducted within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing in times of the COVID-19 pandemic (CAMHWB-19) consortium, a Dutch research collaboration led by DREAMS. For this particular analysis, the researchers used general-population data from NTR and KLIK; data from the clinical DREAMS cohort were not included.
DREAMS and NTR are both cohorts connected to Amsterdam Cohort Hub. The study is currently available as a preprint and has not yet undergone peer review.