An Integrative Review of School-Based Mental Health Interventions and Implications for Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures

Millions of students with mental health concerns attend school each day. It is unknown how many of those students experience psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES); however, quality of life, academic, and mental health outcomes for students experiencing PNES can be bleak. Currently, no authors have addressed potential school nurse interventions for students with PNES. Because PNES is a mental health condition and is often influenced by underlying anxiety and/or depression, an integrative review of school nurse interventions and outcomes for students with general mental health concerns was conducted. An integrative review resulted in the identification of 13 quantitative and 2 qualitative studies that met inclusion criteria. The findings from this review suggest school nurses, following principles from the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice, play an active role in mental health interventions and should be involved in replicating and testing known mental health interventions to investigate their effectiveness for students with PNES.