Article: The prevalence and correlates of severe social withdrawal (hikikomori) in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional telephone-based survey study

TitleThe prevalence and correlates of severe social withdrawal (hikikomori) in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional telephone-based survey study
Authors
Keywordsepidemiology
hikikomori
Hong Kong
psychopathology
severe social withdrawal behavior
social communication
youth social issues
Issue Date2015
PublisherSage Publications Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.sagepub.co.uk/journal.aspx?pid=105597
Citation
International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2015, v. 61 n. 4, p. 330-342 How to Cite?
AbstractBACKGROUND: Severe social withdrawal behaviors among young people have been a subject of public and clinical concerns. AIMS: This study aimed to explore the prevalence of social withdrawal behaviors among young people aged 12-29 years in Hong Kong. METHODS: A cross-sectional telephone-based survey was conducted with 1,010 young individuals. Social withdrawal behaviors were measured with the proposed research diagnostic criteria for hikikomori and were categorized according to the (a) international proposed duration criterion (more than 6 months), (b) local proposed criterion (less than 6 months) and (c) with withdrawal behaviors but self-perceived as non-problematic. The correlates of social withdrawal among the three groups were examined using multinomial and ordinal logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of more than 6 months, less than 6 months and self-perceived non-problematic social withdrawal were 1.9%, 2.5% and 2.6%, respectively. In terms of the correlates, the internationally and locally defined socially withdrawn youths are similar, while the self-perceived non-problematic group is comparable to the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: The study finds that the prevalence of severe social withdrawal in Hong Kong is comparable to that in Japan. Both groups with withdrawal behaviors for more or less than 6 months share similar characteristics and are related to other contemporary youth issues, for example, compensated dating and self-injury behavior. The self-perceived non-problematic group appears to be a distinct group and the withdrawal behaviors of its members may be discretionary.
Persistent Identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/201627
ISSN
2023 Impact Factor: 2.5
2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 1.649
ISI Accession Number ID

 

DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorWong, PWC-
dc.contributor.authorLi, TMH-
dc.contributor.authorChan, KYM-
dc.contributor.authorLaw, YW-
dc.contributor.authorChau, MCL-
dc.contributor.authorCheng, C-
dc.contributor.authorFu, KW-
dc.contributor.authorBacon-Shone, J-
dc.contributor.authorYip, PSF-
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-21T07:32:44Z-
dc.date.available2014-08-21T07:32:44Z-
dc.date.issued2015-
dc.identifier.citationInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2015, v. 61 n. 4, p. 330-342-
dc.identifier.issn0020-7640-
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/201627-
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: Severe social withdrawal behaviors among young people have been a subject of public and clinical concerns. AIMS: This study aimed to explore the prevalence of social withdrawal behaviors among young people aged 12-29 years in Hong Kong. METHODS: A cross-sectional telephone-based survey was conducted with 1,010 young individuals. Social withdrawal behaviors were measured with the proposed research diagnostic criteria for hikikomori and were categorized according to the (a) international proposed duration criterion (more than 6 months), (b) local proposed criterion (less than 6 months) and (c) with withdrawal behaviors but self-perceived as non-problematic. The correlates of social withdrawal among the three groups were examined using multinomial and ordinal logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of more than 6 months, less than 6 months and self-perceived non-problematic social withdrawal were 1.9%, 2.5% and 2.6%, respectively. In terms of the correlates, the internationally and locally defined socially withdrawn youths are similar, while the self-perceived non-problematic group is comparable to the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: The study finds that the prevalence of severe social withdrawal in Hong Kong is comparable to that in Japan. Both groups with withdrawal behaviors for more or less than 6 months share similar characteristics and are related to other contemporary youth issues, for example, compensated dating and self-injury behavior. The self-perceived non-problematic group appears to be a distinct group and the withdrawal behaviors of its members may be discretionary.-
dc.languageeng-
dc.publisherSage Publications Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.sagepub.co.uk/journal.aspx?pid=105597-
dc.relation.ispartofInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry-
dc.rightsInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry. Copyright © Sage Publications Ltd.-
dc.subjectepidemiology-
dc.subjecthikikomori-
dc.subjectHong Kong-
dc.subjectpsychopathology-
dc.subjectsevere social withdrawal behavior-
dc.subjectsocial communication-
dc.subjectyouth social issues-
dc.titleThe prevalence and correlates of severe social withdrawal (hikikomori) in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional telephone-based survey study-
dc.typeArticle-
dc.identifier.emailWong, PWC: paulw@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.emailLi, TMH: timlmh@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.emailChan, KYM: ckymel@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.emailLaw, YW: flawhk@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.emailChau, MCL: mchau@business.hku.hk-
dc.identifier.emailCheng, C: ceccheng@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.emailFu, KW: kwfu@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.emailBacon-Shone, J: johnbs@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.emailYip, PSF: sfpyip@hku.hk-
dc.identifier.authorityWong, PWC=rp00591-
dc.identifier.authorityLaw, YW=rp00561-
dc.identifier.authorityChau, MCL=rp01051-
dc.identifier.authorityCheng, C=rp00588-
dc.identifier.authorityFu, KW=rp00552-
dc.identifier.authorityBacon-Shone, J=rp00056-
dc.identifier.authorityYip, PSF=rp00596-
dc.identifier.doi10.1177/0020764014543711-
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-84930405328-
dc.identifier.hkuros234432-
dc.identifier.hkuros247640-
dc.identifier.volume61-
dc.identifier.issue4-
dc.identifier.spage330-
dc.identifier.epage342-
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000354990900004-
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom-
dc.identifier.issnl0020-7640-

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