A correlational study of socioeconomic factors and the prevalence of hikikomori in Japan from 2010 to 2019.

Background: Although several surveys have suggested that socioeconomic factors function as background variables for the incidence of hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal), no research has directly examined whether socioeconomic indicators increase the incidence of hikikomori. This study aimed to examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors and the incidence of hikikomori using data from eight cross-sectional studies conducted by our group between 2010 and 2019.

Methods: We used socio-economic data from national surveys and collected the demographic data of members of a multi-branch Japanese association for family members of hikikomori patients for the period of 2010-2019.

Results: The results of the partial correlation analysis showed that the incidence probability of hikikomori increased in tandem with unemployment rates and household income. Further, the associations were positively strong in the 2010-2015 research period; however, they were absent, weak, or medium in the 2016-2019 research period.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that socioeconomic factors relate to the increase in hikikomori, and that these factors should be considered when identifying the individual or cultural factors that cause hikikomori.