Diverse Trajectories of Hikikomori Symptoms During Job Search and the Role of Identity Distress: Three Wave Longitudinal Research

Abstract

ObjectiveHikikomori, a prolonged form of social withdrawal, has received attention in various research areas. This longitudinal study aimed to identify diverse trajectories of hikikomori symptoms among young Japanese adults engaged in a job search. It also tested whether identity distress, a critical developmental issue, predicts these trajectories while controlling for other risk factors (depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, career expectations, and gender).MethodsA total of 756 third-year Japanese university students (at Time 1, Mage = 20.88 years; women: 78.97%) who engaged in job search participated in our three-wave longitudinal survey at six-month intervals. To assess hikikomori symptoms, we used the 25-item Hikikomori Questionnaire. In addition, identity distress was measured using the 10-item Identity Distress Survey.ResultsLatent class growth analysis revealed four different trajectories of hikikomori symptoms. Most young adults showed severe levels and escalating hikikomori symptoms over time. In contrast, a small proportion of young adults prevented hikikomori symptoms through the period of job search. Additionally, young adults with more severe levels of identity distress followed trajectories marked by severe hikikomori symptoms after controlling for other risk factors.ConclusionThe present study's findings contribute to developing a primary intervention for hikikomori symptoms by identifying the period of greatest risk. Group-based counseling support for hikikomori from the perspective of identity is recommended.

Contemporary Hermits: A Developmental Psychopathology Account of Extreme Social Withdrawal (Hikikomori) in Young People

“…These studies show that withdrawal symptoms in most young people are at a stable low level (i.e., reflecting the normative development), but that there also are subgroups of youth (a) showing stable high levels of withdrawal symptoms or (b) who gradually develop such symptoms over time or-in contrast-(c) who initially display clear withdrawal symptoms but gradually become more socially involved. In addition to this, a recent longitudinal study by Hihara et al (2022) indicated that once symptoms of ESW are in the severe range, they tend to escalate over time.…”

Prevalence of hikikomori and associations with suicidal ideation, suicide stigma, and help-seeking among 2,022 young adults in Hong Kong

“…In turn, social isolation, financial strain, and loneliness have been associated with suicidal ideation (Elbogen et al, 2021). Hihara et al (2022) recently found that most of the 756 Japanese university graduates displayed severe social withdrawal symptoms during job search and this was linked to higher identity distress.…”