Hikikomori 2.0

A Mixed Method Investigation to Reconceptualization the Social Withdrawal in the Digital Age

Bibliographic Data

ID13024899
AuthorsVincenzo Esposito (0000-0002-2471-5372, Federico II University Hospital, corresponding author), Felice Addeo (0000-0001-7072-7019, University of Salerno)
Year2025
Volume15
Issue9
Pages260-260
Publication date2025-09-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocieties (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2075-4698 • E-ISSN: 2075-4698
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/soc15090260
OpenAlexW4414283194
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited32

This study reconceptualizes the hikikomori phenomenon in light of the digital revolution, examining the extent to which online practices shape the dynamics of social withdrawal. The primary objective is to assess whether the digital sphere constitutes a structural component of the contemporary hikikomori experience. The research employed a three-phase sequential design: a 33-item online questionnaire administered to a stratified sample of 399 parents of children in isolation for at least six months, with a 100% completion rate; a non-participant netnographic observation conducted within a single Telegram group, consisting of one month of silent observation followed by six months of formal observation between late May and early November 2023, during which membership declined from 121 to 89 and approximately 90,000 messages were produced and subsequently analyzed through an inductive narrative lens; and a Delphi consultation involving 21 experts (psychologists, psychiatrists, educators, and researchers), conducted across three rounds—two of which were qualitative—interpreted with the same analytic framework. The findings underscore the growing significance of the online dimension in defining the hikikomori experience. Survey data indicate that the majority of individuals in withdrawal, both primary and secondary, maintain online relationships. Netnographic evidence highlights how the digital sphere functions as a form of selective and mediated sociability, simultaneously serving as both refuge and bridge. Delphi results converge in recognizing digital engagement as a structural component of the phenomenon and further delineate configurations of semi-withdrawal. Taken together, the three phases point to a paradigmatic shift: from an “offline” hikikomori to a digital hikikomori, in which the Internet is no longer a compensatory pastime but rather a central dimension that reshapes daily routines, social ties, and identity processes

Delphi method · Narrative · Phenomenon · Qualitative research · Sample (material · Social isolation · The Internet · Diverse Education Studies and Reforms · Homelessness and Social Issues · Youth Substance Use and School Attendance

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Open DOIOpen Access