Characterizing Experiences With Hikikomori Syndrome on Twitter Among Japanese-Language Users: Qualitative...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Sociology
• Digital Humanities

Background:

• Hikikomori syndrome, a severe social withdrawal, is a global psychiatric concern with high prevalence in Japan.
• Social media platforms like Twitter (X) provide unique insights into the experiences of isolated individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in firsthand and secondhand accounts of hikikomori syndrome on Japanese Twitter from 2021 to 2023.
• To explore themes and user experiences related to hikikomori shared online.

Main Methods:

• Collected over 2 million tweets using relevant Japanese keywords and the Twitter API.
• Utilized Bidirectional Encoder Representations From Transformers (BERT) for language analysis.
• Inductively coded themes from 148 relevant tweets focusing on user experiences.

Main Results:

• Identified 148 relevant tweets from 89 unique users discussing hikikomori.
• Found 71 firsthand accounts (seeking support, personal anecdotes, debunking myths) and 77 secondhand accounts (support, advice, advocacy).
• Key themes included social support, personal narratives, and combating stigma.

Conclusions:

• Web-based platforms serve as crucial spaces for hikikomori syndrome discussions and community building.
• The rise of online lifestyles, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the significance of digital interactions for those with hikikomori.
• Social media facilitates social interaction, advocacy, and community participation while minimizing social anxiety.