associations between recurrent COVID-19, attention and mental health: a longitudinal study

This two-part longitudinal study examined impacts of initial and recurrent COVID-19 diagnosis on negative affect and attention control in 296 undergraduate students during pandemic lockdowns. Study 1 found first-time diagnosis was associated with significantly higher depression, anxiety, and stress but did not affect attention control. Study 2 showed recurrent diagnosis further worsened mental health outcomes yet was linked to enhanced attentional abilities, contrasting typical condition declines. Within-subjects analysis demonstrated worsening affect but improvements in attention control from first to second timepoints among repeatedly diagnosed participants. Overall, both initial and recurrent diagnosis severely impact psychological wellbeing with cumulative mental health tolls, underscoring needs to prioritize supporting mental health. However, attentional resilience emerges, potentially reflecting an adaptive coping response. Continued research tracking patients across multiple infections can clarify relationships between worsening emotions and improved attention, informing interventions to address multifaceted health impacts of COVID-19 reinfection.