Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping review

Background: Hikikomori, or prolonged social withdrawal, is a clinical condition usually emerging during adolescence or young adulthood, characterized by severe self-isolation in one's home, and often associated with other psychiatric disorders and symptoms. Objective: The study summarized evide...

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Main Authors: Virginia Pupi, Cinzia Bressi, Paola Maria Porcelli, Maria Gloria Rossetti, Marcella Bellani, Antonio Trabacca, Paolo Brambilla, Antonella Delle Fave
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Comprehensive Psychiatry
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X2400124X
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author Virginia Pupi
Cinzia Bressi
Paola Maria Porcelli
Maria Gloria Rossetti
Marcella Bellani
Antonio Trabacca
Paolo Brambilla
Antonella Delle Fave
author_facet Virginia Pupi
Cinzia Bressi
Paola Maria Porcelli
Maria Gloria Rossetti
Marcella Bellani
Antonio Trabacca
Paolo Brambilla
Antonella Delle Fave
author_sort Virginia Pupi
collection DOAJ
description Background: Hikikomori, or prolonged social withdrawal, is a clinical condition usually emerging during adolescence or young adulthood, characterized by severe self-isolation in one's home, and often associated with other psychiatric disorders and symptoms. Objective: The study summarized evidence of hikikomori diagnostic criteria, clinical manifestations, and comorbidity with psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, with four electronic databases searched for original works in English, French, and Italian published since 2010. Results: A total of 15 studies were selected, 7 involved adolescents, 4 young adults, and 4 participants from both age groups. Most studies relied on the diagnostic criteria proposed for hikikomori inclusion in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Differences in hikikomori and comorbidity profiles were identified between adolescents and young adults. Conclusions: Heterogeneity characterized hikikomori diagnostic criteria, comorbidity, demographic and clinical features of the study samples. Studies adopting more homogeneous populations, shared diagnostic criteria, consistent assessment tools and longitudinal designs are needed to better clarify the clinical features of hikikomori in young people.
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spelling doaj-art-e8bc09024609478995170b228b78aee92025-08-20T02:45:55ZengElsevierComprehensive Psychiatry0010-440X2025-04-0113815257310.1016/j.comppsych.2024.152573Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping reviewVirginia Pupi0Cinzia Bressi1Paola Maria Porcelli2Maria Gloria Rossetti3Marcella Bellani4Antonio Trabacca5Paolo Brambilla6Antonella Delle Fave7Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Corresponding author at: via Pace, 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, ItalySection of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; UOC Psichiatria, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI), Verona, ItalySection of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, ItalyScientific Institute IRCCS “E. Medea”, Scientific Direction, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, ItalyDepartment of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, ItalyBackground: Hikikomori, or prolonged social withdrawal, is a clinical condition usually emerging during adolescence or young adulthood, characterized by severe self-isolation in one's home, and often associated with other psychiatric disorders and symptoms. Objective: The study summarized evidence of hikikomori diagnostic criteria, clinical manifestations, and comorbidity with psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, with four electronic databases searched for original works in English, French, and Italian published since 2010. Results: A total of 15 studies were selected, 7 involved adolescents, 4 young adults, and 4 participants from both age groups. Most studies relied on the diagnostic criteria proposed for hikikomori inclusion in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Differences in hikikomori and comorbidity profiles were identified between adolescents and young adults. Conclusions: Heterogeneity characterized hikikomori diagnostic criteria, comorbidity, demographic and clinical features of the study samples. Studies adopting more homogeneous populations, shared diagnostic criteria, consistent assessment tools and longitudinal designs are needed to better clarify the clinical features of hikikomori in young people.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X2400124XHikikomoriProlonged social withdrawalPsychiatric disordersPsychiatric symptomsComorbidityAdolescents
spellingShingle Virginia Pupi
Cinzia Bressi
Paola Maria Porcelli
Maria Gloria Rossetti
Marcella Bellani
Antonio Trabacca
Paolo Brambilla
Antonella Delle Fave
Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping review
Comprehensive Psychiatry
Hikikomori
Prolonged social withdrawal
Psychiatric disorders
Psychiatric symptoms
Comorbidity
Adolescents
title Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping review
title_full Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping review
title_fullStr Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping review
title_short Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) and co-occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping review
title_sort hikikomori prolonged social withdrawal and co occurring psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults a scoping review
topic Hikikomori
Prolonged social withdrawal
Psychiatric disorders
Psychiatric symptoms
Comorbidity
Adolescents
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X2400124X
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