Post-COVID syndrome as a factor complicating sence of coherence and it's interplay with individual cognitive styles

Abstract

Abstract. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and clinicians alike have turned their attention to the so-called post-COVID syndrome: a constellation of persistent symptoms - ranging from fatigue and impaired memory to mood disturbances - that can continue for months or even years after the acute infection subsides. Beyond its biological underpinnings, post-COVID syndrome demands renewed focus on how psychosocial resources facilitate (or hinder) longterm adaptation. One lens that elucidates these challenges is Aaron Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence (SOC), which comprises three core dimensions: comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. Individuals with a high SOCare typically better equipped to confront persistent health stressors through effective coping, structured sense-making, and the conviction that their efforts remain purposeful. In parallel, the concept of cognitive styles provides vital insights into how people habitually process and respond to information. Styles such as field dependence (FD) versus field independence (FI), cognitive flexibility (FLEX) versus rigidity (RIG), and impulsivity (IMP) versus reflectivity (REF) each influence whether one perceives novel post-COVID symptoms as surmountable challenges or insurmountable catastrophes. For instance, a field-dependent individual might be more susceptible to media-driven anxieties regarding long COVID, whereas a field-independent person may draw on internal frameworks to maintain a sense of personal control. Similarly, reflective individuals can systematically evaluate evolving medical advice but may risk overthinking; impulsive persons, by contrast, may jump to untested remedies or abandon protocols prematurely. This theoretical analysis advocates an integrated approach, suggesting that salutogenesis depends on aligning one’s dominant cognitive style with strategies that reinforce SOC. Empirical findings across diverse populations indicate that combining flexible coping mechanisms with meaningful social support fosters more positive long-term outcomes. Conversely, rigid or intolerant styles, coupled with low SOC, can accelerate feelings of helplessness, as prolonged symptom unpredictability heightens psychological distress. Hence, interventions aiming to sustain or rebuild SOC - especially those tailored to a patient’s cognitive style - can mitigate the adverse effects of post-COVID syndrome. Through acknowledging and harnessing these dynamic interactions, practitioners may design more personalized programs that not only address the enduring physical facets of post-COVID but also enhance resilience and psychological well-being.