Feasibility of a Manualized Long COVID Telehealth Group Therapy within a Metropolitan Outpatient Rehabilitation Psychology Service

Research Objectives: Few previously published studies have investigated the feasibility of group mental health telehealth treatment for individuals with long COVID. Therefore, we set out to investigate the feasibility of a twelve-session manualized Long COVID therapy and support group.

Design: Cohort study of a pilot group intervention.

Setting: Video telehealth through an outpatient psychology service within a metropolitan rehabilitation medical center.

Participants: Eleven recipients. One withdrew due to personal reasons, and another due to medical reasons. Eligibility criteria: 1) over 18 years old, 2) diagnosis of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, 3) received a psychological evaluation, and 4) ability to participate in telehealth services.

Interventions: Closed treatment group meeting for twelve consecutive weeks providing: 1) a medium for peer social support for adults with long COVID, 2) verified COVID-19 information and recovery strategies, and 3) evidence-based cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) skills to manage psychological distress, fatigue, and brain fog.

Main Outcome Measures: Qualitative assessment of recipient satisfaction with a manualized telehealth CBT group for long COVID. Post-intervention recipients self-report ratings of psychological distress and fatigue compared to ratings at initial psychological evaluation. Recipient attrition and attendance rates.

Results: Findings and tables will be reported after treatment conclusion. It is hypothesized that recipients will report high satisfaction with intervention due to increased social support and benefiting from evidence-based techniques. We expect recipients to find practicality in accessing virtual group treatment to lessen the burden of time and cost to their medical care. We expect post-intervention ratings of psychological distress and fatigue symptom severity will decrease compared to the initial psychological evaluation.

Conclusions: Qualitative responses and self-report questionnaire ratings are hypothesized to provide preliminary support for the feasibility of a group telehealth therapy for individuals recovering from long COVID.

Author(s) Disclosures: Investigators were the group co-facilitators.