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Data were analysed using systematic text condensation.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Setting<\/jats:title>\n The study was conducted in a university setting.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Participants<\/jats:title>\n 19 participants (aged 23\u201355 years, 15\u2009women) were included between Spring 2021 and Autumn 2022.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Intervention<\/jats:title>\n The participants in this study had participated in a 3-day concentrated micro-choice-based rehabilitation programme. One of the main features of this intervention was to support participants in shifting their focus from targeting symptoms to choosing alternative actions aimed at improving everyday functioning, referred to as micro-choices.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Five themes were identified: (1) reduction in uncertainty achieved through reassurance and motivation; (2) \u2018in the same boat\u2019: sharing experiences and supporting each other; (3) knowledge about the body\u2019s stress responses and micro-choices; (4) shifting between individual practice and close collaboration with the therapists; and (5) sustaining behaviour change is challenging. These themes illustrated how participants\u2019 experiences with different aspects of the rehabilitation programme facilitated both the initiation and maintenance of behaviour change. The participants highlighted the importance of acknowledging their challenges, reducing fear, sharing experiences with peers, feeling understood and supported, collaborating with a skilled team, receiving personalised guidance and gaining insights through the exploration and implementation of micro-choices. Participants also highlighted that behaviour change is an ongoing process requiring sustained effort.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n The findings showed how participants experienced various aspects of a concentrated micro-choice-based rehabilitation programme as supportive of behaviour change. The findings indicate that a concentrated rehabilitation programme may facilitate self-management and improve everyday function in individuals with long covid.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Trial registration number<\/jats:title>\n \n NCT05234281<\/jats:ext-link>\n .\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2025-105215","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T16:10:20Z","timestamp":1773245420000},"page":"e105215","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Exploring experiences following participation in a concentrated micro-choice-based rehabilitation programme for long covid: a focus group study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"16","clinical-trial-number":[{"clinical-trial-number":"nct05234281","registry":"10.18810\/clinical-trials-gov"},{"clinical-trial-number":"nct05234281","registry":"10.18810\/clinical-trials-gov"},{"clinical-trial-number":"nct05234281","registry":"10.18810\/clinical-trials-gov"}],"author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3531-1071","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kiri Lovise","family":"Nj\u00f8ten","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Functioning, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Hordaland, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liv Heide","family":"Magnussen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Functioning, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Hordaland, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9742-295X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anne","family":"Haugstvedt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Hordaland, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2889-4144","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marte","family":"J\u00fcrgensen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gerd","family":"Kvale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway"},{"name":"SafeChoice Clinic and Research, Bergen, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7752-4895","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bente","family":"Frisk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Functioning, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Hordaland, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026062609362457000_16.3.e105215.1","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Care Exellence (NICE) . 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