The Hikikomori Phenomenon of Social Withdrawal: An Emerging Condition Involving Youth ’s Mental Health and Social Participation

The issue of social isolation and loneliness involving individuals during their developmental years has gathered increased attention from researchers, policymakers, and the public, raising concerns about the negative effects of this condition on youth ’s wellbeing. In youngsters, the use of media devices, including social network platforms, video games and interactive apps continues to increase exponentially and the initial use of social network is about 10 years of age1,2. This is likely due to the use of using these tools to build a social id entity and develop new, unconventional forms of personal expression.

Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - July 1, 2020 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Pietro Ferrara, Giulia Franceschini, Giovanni Corsello, Julije Mestrovic, Ida Giardino, Michele Sacco, Mehmet Vural, Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani, Tudor Lucian Pop Source Type: research