IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v61y2015i5p475-483.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hikikomori in Spain: A descriptive study

Author

Listed:
  • à ngeles Malagón-Amor
  • David Córcoles-Martínez
  • Luis M Martín-López
  • Víctor Pérez-SolÃ

Abstract

Background: Social withdrawal behaviour is a major health problem that is becoming increasingly important, being necessary studies that investigate its psychopathology and existence in different cultures. Aims: To describe the clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of hikikomori individuals in Spain. Method: Participants were 200 subjects referred to the Crisis Resolution Home Treatment (CRHT) because of social isolation. The definition of hikikomori was the state of avoiding social engagement with generally persistent withdrawal into one’s residence for at least 6 months. Socio-demographic and clinical data were analysed, including Severity of Psychiatric Illness (SPI), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment (WHODAS) scales. Results: A total of 164 cases were evaluated. Hikikomori were predominantly young male, with the mean age at onset of hikikomori of 40 years old and a mean socially withdrawn period of 3 years. Only three people had no symptoms suggestive of mental disorder. Psychotic and anxiety were the most common comorbid disorders. The scales administered describe the presence of serious symptoms and impairment in social functioning, with a high prevalence of poor collaboration with treatment. Conclusion: This study shows the existence of hikikomori in Spain. Its difficult detection and treatment highlights the need for specialized domiciliary teams. The high comorbidity leads us to conclude that it may not be a new diagnosis, but rather a severe syndrome associated with multiple mental illnesses. Primary hikikomori also exist, but less commonly. Future cross-national studies are needed in order to describe its definition and psychopathology.

Suggested Citation

  • à ngeles Malagón-Amor & David Córcoles-Martínez & Luis M Martín-López & Víctor Pérez-SolÃ, 2015. "Hikikomori in Spain: A descriptive study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(5), pages 475-483, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:61:y:2015:i:5:p:475-483
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764014553003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020764014553003
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0020764014553003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Santiago Ovejero & Irene Caro-Cañizares & Victoria de León-Martínez & Enrique Baca-Garcia, 2014. "Prolonged social withdrawal disorder: A hikikomori case in Spain," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 60(6), pages 562-565, September.
    2. Alan R. Teo, 2010. "A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: a Review of Hikikomori," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 56(2), pages 178-185, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yura Loscalzo & Cristian Nannicini & I-Ting Huai-Ching Liu & Marco Giannini, 2022. "Hikikomori Risk Inventory (HRI-24): A new instrument for evaluating Hikikomori in both Eastern and Western countries," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(1), pages 90-107, February.
    2. Silvia Rita Sedita, 2022. "Dal codice enigma al metaverso recensione a l?ascesa della societ? algoritmica," ECONOMIA E SOCIET? REGIONALE, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(1), pages 157-160.
    3. Santiago Ovejero & Irene Caro-Cañizares & Victoria de León-Martínez & Enrique Baca-Garcia, 2014. "Prolonged social withdrawal disorder: A hikikomori case in Spain," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 60(6), pages 562-565, September.
    4. Or Hareven & Tamar Kron & David Roe & Danny Koren, 2022. "The scope and nature of prolonged social withdrawal in Israel: An initial quantitative and qualitative investigation," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(2), pages 301-308, March.
    5. Coeli, Gianluca & Planas-Lladó, Anna & Soler-Masó, Pere, 2023. "The relevance of educational contexts in the emergence of Social Withdrawal (hikikomori). A review and directions for future research," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    6. Ventre, Viviana & Martino, Roberta & Cruz Rambaud, Salvador & Maturo, Fabrizio & Porreca, Annamaria, 2024. "An original approach to anomalies in intertemporal choices through functional data analysis: Theory and application for the study of Hikikomori syndrome," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Naoji Kondo & Motohiro Sakai & Yasukazu Kuroda & Yoshikazu Kiyota & Yuji Kitabata & Mie Kurosawa, 2013. "General condition of hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) in Japan: Psychiatric diagnosis and outcome in mental health welfare centres," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 59(1), pages 79-86, February.
    8. Alexander Krieg & Jane R. Dickie, 2013. "Attachment and hikikomori: A psychosocial developmental model," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 59(1), pages 61-72, February.
    9. Paul WC Wong & Tim MH Li & Melissa Chan & YW Law & Michael Chau & Cecilia Cheng & KW Fu & John Bacon-Shone & Paul SF Yip, 2015. "The prevalence and correlates of severe social withdrawal (hikikomori) in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional telephone-based survey study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(4), pages 330-342, June.
    10. John W. M. Yuen & Yoyo K. Y. Yan & Victor C. W. Wong & Wilson W. S. Tam & Ka-Wing So & Wai Tong Chien, 2018. "A Physical Health Profile of Youths Living with a “Hikikomori” Lifestyle," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-13, February.
    11. Michelle Jin Yee Neoh & Alessandro Carollo & Mengyu Lim & Gianluca Esposito, 2023. "Hikikomori: A Scientometric Review of 20 Years of Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-19, April.
    12. Hiromi Taniguchi & Gayle Kaufman, 2019. "Self-Construal, Social Support, and Loneliness in Japan," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(4), pages 941-960, September.
    13. Alan R Teo, 2013. "Social isolation associated with depression: A case report of hikikomori," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 59(4), pages 339-341, June.
    14. Alessandra Santona & Francesca Lionetti & Giacomo Tognasso & Chiara Fusco & Graziana Maccagnano & Danila Barreca & Laura Gorla, 2023. "Sensitivity and Attachment in an Italian Sample of Hikikomori Adolescents and Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-14, June.
    15. Simone Amendola & Fabio Presaghi & Alan Robert Teo & Rita Cerutti, 2022. "Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the 25-Item Hikikomori Questionnaire for Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-17, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:61:y:2015:i:5:p:475-483. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.