Beyond mood screening: a pilot study of emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns in patients with Long COVID

ObjectiveThis descriptive pilot study reported the emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns of a clinically referred sample of patients with Long COVID using a comprehensive psychological measure. These subjective concerns were considered in the context of other psychological characteristics and h...

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Main Authors: Tali R. Sorets, John-Christopher A. Finley, W. Curt LaFrance, Ryan Van Patten, Kristen Mordecai, Millenia Jimenez, Stephen Suchy, Joshua Cahan, Igor J. Koralnik, Leora R. Cherney, Erica Cotton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1517299/full
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author Tali R. Sorets
John-Christopher A. Finley
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
Ryan Van Patten
Ryan Van Patten
Ryan Van Patten
Kristen Mordecai
Millenia Jimenez
Stephen Suchy
Joshua Cahan
Igor J. Koralnik
Leora R. Cherney
Leora R. Cherney
Erica Cotton
Erica Cotton
author_facet Tali R. Sorets
John-Christopher A. Finley
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
Ryan Van Patten
Ryan Van Patten
Ryan Van Patten
Kristen Mordecai
Millenia Jimenez
Stephen Suchy
Joshua Cahan
Igor J. Koralnik
Leora R. Cherney
Leora R. Cherney
Erica Cotton
Erica Cotton
author_sort Tali R. Sorets
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveThis descriptive pilot study reported the emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns of a clinically referred sample of patients with Long COVID using a comprehensive psychological measure. These subjective concerns were considered in the context of other psychological characteristics and historical mental health factors.MethodsThe study sample comprised 26 adults with Long COVID who were referred from a neurology COVID-19 clinic for neuropsychological screening based on the patient's cognitive concerns. Empirically established cutoffs from the Personality Assessment Inventory were used to assess clinically elevated emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns. Preexisting mental health data were obtained via medical records and clinical interview.ResultsApproximately 62 and 50% of the sample had elevated somatic and cognitive concerns, respectively. Additionally, 42% of the sample exhibited elevated emotional concerns associated with depression, but this was primarily driven by the physiological aspects of depression. Between 15–27% of patients had elevated anxiety-related concerns. Over 80% of the sample had previously received psychotherapy and had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder prior to their SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, over half of the sample reported a history of abuse, and 12–15% had previously attempted suicide or had been hospitalized for psychiatric reasons.ConclusionsFindings suggest that patients with Long COVID may present with extensive psychiatric histories and various somatic, cognitive, and emotional concerns. These psychological characteristics may be important for the treatment of Long COVID but may be overlooked using screening measures.
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spelling doaj-art-b69fce09cc294504b8fec0364d92c26b2025-08-20T02:39:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-06-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15172991517299Beyond mood screening: a pilot study of emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns in patients with Long COVIDTali R. Sorets0John-Christopher A. Finley1W. Curt LaFrance2W. Curt LaFrance3W. Curt LaFrance4W. Curt LaFrance5Ryan Van Patten6Ryan Van Patten7Ryan Van Patten8Kristen Mordecai9Millenia Jimenez10Stephen Suchy11Joshua Cahan12Igor J. Koralnik13Leora R. Cherney14Leora R. Cherney15Erica Cotton16Erica Cotton17Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI, United StatesVA Providence Health Care System, Providence, RI, United StatesVeterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Providence, RI, United StatesWarren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United StatesVA Providence Health Care System, Providence, RI, United StatesVeterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Providence, RI, United StatesWarren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United StatesBaltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United StatesKen and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesKen and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesKen and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesKen and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesShirley Ryan Ability Lab, Chicago, IL, United States0Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesKen and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesObjectiveThis descriptive pilot study reported the emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns of a clinically referred sample of patients with Long COVID using a comprehensive psychological measure. These subjective concerns were considered in the context of other psychological characteristics and historical mental health factors.MethodsThe study sample comprised 26 adults with Long COVID who were referred from a neurology COVID-19 clinic for neuropsychological screening based on the patient's cognitive concerns. Empirically established cutoffs from the Personality Assessment Inventory were used to assess clinically elevated emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns. Preexisting mental health data were obtained via medical records and clinical interview.ResultsApproximately 62 and 50% of the sample had elevated somatic and cognitive concerns, respectively. Additionally, 42% of the sample exhibited elevated emotional concerns associated with depression, but this was primarily driven by the physiological aspects of depression. Between 15–27% of patients had elevated anxiety-related concerns. Over 80% of the sample had previously received psychotherapy and had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder prior to their SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, over half of the sample reported a history of abuse, and 12–15% had previously attempted suicide or had been hospitalized for psychiatric reasons.ConclusionsFindings suggest that patients with Long COVID may present with extensive psychiatric histories and various somatic, cognitive, and emotional concerns. These psychological characteristics may be important for the treatment of Long COVID but may be overlooked using screening measures.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1517299/fullLong COVIDSARS-CoV-2 infectionpersonality assessment inventorypsychopathologymental health risk factors
spellingShingle Tali R. Sorets
John-Christopher A. Finley
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
W. Curt LaFrance
Ryan Van Patten
Ryan Van Patten
Ryan Van Patten
Kristen Mordecai
Millenia Jimenez
Stephen Suchy
Joshua Cahan
Igor J. Koralnik
Leora R. Cherney
Leora R. Cherney
Erica Cotton
Erica Cotton
Beyond mood screening: a pilot study of emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns in patients with Long COVID
Frontiers in Psychology
Long COVID
SARS-CoV-2 infection
personality assessment inventory
psychopathology
mental health risk factors
title Beyond mood screening: a pilot study of emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns in patients with Long COVID
title_full Beyond mood screening: a pilot study of emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns in patients with Long COVID
title_fullStr Beyond mood screening: a pilot study of emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns in patients with Long COVID
title_full_unstemmed Beyond mood screening: a pilot study of emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns in patients with Long COVID
title_short Beyond mood screening: a pilot study of emotional, cognitive, and somatic concerns in patients with Long COVID
title_sort beyond mood screening a pilot study of emotional cognitive and somatic concerns in patients with long covid
topic Long COVID
SARS-CoV-2 infection
personality assessment inventory
psychopathology
mental health risk factors
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1517299/full
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