Personality, Control Expectations, and Perceived Quality of Life in Persistent COVID: Evidence From Medical Settings

Introduction Persistent COVID (post-COVID condition) has been linked to emotional disorders, but the roles of personality traits and generalized control expectations remain understudied. Methods We conducted a comparative cross-sectional study in primary care including adults with persistent COVID symptoms (n = 84) and age- and sex-matched controls with prior COVID-19 without persistent symptoms (n = 84) from Burgos, Spain. Neuroticism, extraversion, and psychoticism were assessed with the EPQ-R-A; generalized expectations of control (contingency, helplessness, self-efficacy, success, luck) with the BEEGC; health-related quality of life with the SF-12v1 (PCS, MCS). Results Compared with controls, the persistent-COVID group scored higher on neuroticism and helplessness, and lower on contingency, self-efficacy, and success (all p ≤ .016). Quality of life was markedly reduced in persistent COVID for MCS (d = − 0.70) and especially PCS (d = − 1.43) (both p < .001). Discussion A profile combining higher neuroticism and more adverse control beliefs (greater helplessness; lower contingency/self-efficacy/success) characterizes patients with persistent COVID and co-occurs with substantial decrements in physical and mental health-related quality of life. Findings support integrating brief screening of personality and control beliefs into primary-care pathways and targeting self-efficacy in multidisciplinary rehabilitation.