Feasibility and outcomes of psychotherapeutic group therapy for patients with fatigue and emotional and cognitive disturbances secondary to COVID-19 disease.

ABSTRACT

About 10 % of all symptomatic COVID-19 patients suffer from long-lasting health complaints. Fatigue, cognitive and emotional disorders are the most frequent neuropsychiatric symptoms. Evidence-based therapies for these post-covid impairments are still lacking. Here, we examined the feasibility of a newly developed group-therapy program for patients with fatigue, emotional and cognitive disorders following COVID-19. 24 patients with ICD-10 diagnosis of F06.8 and U0.09 participated in the group therapy on average 13 month after their acute COVID-19 infection. Before and after the group therapy they underwent a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. The group therapy was held online and consisted of 8 weekly sessions with psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational elements regarding fatigue and pacing, mindfulness, psychiatric disorders, cognition as well as physical activity after COVID-19. Participation in the group was high with an average of 7.25 of 8 visited sessions. Mean overall group satisfaction was 7.78 out of 10 points. Patients improved in their self-reported fatigue, daily living skills, depression and subjective cognitive abilities as well as in their objective performance in neuropsychological tests of attention during the study time. The newly developed group therapy program for patients with fatigue and emotional and cognitive disorders following an infection with SARS-CoV-2 was well accepted and evaluated and is feasible in an online setting. Copyright © 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.