General condition of hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) in Japan: psychiatric diagnosis and outcome in mental health welfare centres.

Background: The issue of hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) among Japanese youth has attracted attention from international experts. In previous research, the unique cultural and social factors of Japanese society have been the focus; however, in order to resolve the problem of hikikomori, individual mental health problems must be included.

Aim: We examined the psychiatric background of individuals with hikikomori.

[Home visits for social withdrawal cases in community mental health and child welfare services].

Home visits are one of the intervention and assistance methods anticipated to be useful in cases of social withdrawal. This study aims at investigating the current status of home visits that are carried out in the regional mental health and child welfare sectors, targeting socially withdrawn adolescents, and at examining the efficacy of this method. We conducted a survey using questionnaires targeting 59 institutions, such as public health centers, health and welfare offices, and child guidance centers, and found that home visits were carried out by public health nurses and child welfare personnel in about 20% of the adolescent social withdrawal cases.

[Psychiatric background of social withdrawal in adolescence].

In recent years, Japan's mental health welfare service personnel are encountering a growing number of adolescents in whom social withdrawal persists for extended periods. The provision of treatment and support for these individuals has become a challenge that needs to be addressed on a nationwide scale. This study was conducted to identify the guidelines for treating and assisting adolescents who manifest social withdrawal behaviors, and to clarify the psychiatrist's role.

The effectiveness of early intervention and the factors related to child behavioural problems at age 2: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of early home-based intervention as a community health service and evaluate the influence of both early maternal depression and mother-infant relationships on child behavioral problems at age 2 in a longitudinal setting.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in this study. A total of 95 mother-infant pairs were assigned randomly to intervention (48) or control (47) groups.