Advantage of neuroeducation in managing mass psychogenic illness among rural school children in Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Mass psychogenic illness (MPI), also known as mass hysteria (MH), is a mental health disorder that frequently occurs in Nepal. It primarily affects female students in government high schools and occurs during the course of the school day over a few days without corresponding organic causes.

Purpose of the study: This study set out to evaluate and give neuroeducation with the goal of preventing and/or managing MPI after documenting the existing state of knowledge regarding MPI.

Materials and methods: A total of 234 female students in grades 6 through 10 who attended MH-affected schools (SMH, n = 119) and schools without a mass hysteria history (SNOMH, n = 114) participated in this mass hysteria awareness study. Participants received written pre- and posttests formatted as questionnaires before and after receiving neuroeducation by watching a drama, viewing a human brain-spinal cord model demonstration, and attending an instructive lecture on the human neurological system, stress, and mass hysteria.

Results: Our neuroeducation awareness study on mass hysteria was found to be effective among all of the participants from both SMH and SNOMH. The results indicated that the aforementioned neuroeducation tools are more effective in improving knowledge about mental stress differently in different grades of SMH and SNOMH students. The basic understanding of the human neurological system was not improved by the neuroeducation tool, according to our findings.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that using day-structured neuroeducational tools might be an efficient way to treat mass psychogenic illness in Nepal.

Keywords: Awareness; Conversion disorders; Education; Mental health; Nepal; Psychosomatic disorder.

Pic. 1

MPI encountered school after neuroeducation at Shree Mahakali Secondary School in Kumpur Village, Dhadhing, Nepal.

Fig. 1

Mean(+SD) percent correct response about human nervous system based on questionnaire1–3 (two-Tailed test and ANOVA between groups).

Fig. 2

Mean (+SD) percent correct response about mental stress based on questionnaire 4–6. (*p < 0.05) (two-Tailed test and ANOVA for between groups).

Fig. 3

Mean (+SD) percent correct response about mass hysteria based on questionnaire 7–12. (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.001, (two-Tailed test and ANOVA for between groups).