Correlates of Severe Social Isolation (Hikikomori) Beyond East Asia: A Scoping Review Protocol

Description

The objective of this scoping review is to examine the characteristics and clinical and psychosocial correlates of hikikomori and severe social withdrawal outside East Asia, where the phenomenon was first described. This review conceptualizes hikikomori as a potentially global phenomenon rather than one confined to East Asian cultural contexts.

For the purposes of this review, severe social isolation or withdrawal is defined as a marked reduction or absence of in-person social interaction characterized by remaining primarily at home for ≥6 months, when duration is specified, or by a clear description of chronic or prolonged social withdrawal consistent with a hikikomori-like presentation.

The review will address the following research questions:

1. What clinical and non-clinical correlates of hikikomori or severe social withdrawal have been identified outside East Asia?
2. What subtypes or presentations have been described in these populations, and how do they compare with those described in East Asia?
3. To what extent does the existing literature support hikikomori as a culturally specific versus globally occurring phenomenon?
4. Do identified correlates and patterns of presentation differ by geographic region?

Additional details