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. 2023 Oct;77(10):541-549.
doi: 10.1111/pcn.13573. Epub 2023 Aug 3.

Hikikomori: A perspective from bibliometric analysis

Hong Cai #  1   2 , Sha Sha #  3 , Qinge Zhang #  3 , Tong Leong Si  1   2 , Yu-Fei Liu  1   2 , Wan-Ying Zheng  1   2 , Zhaohui Su  4 , Teris Cheung  5 , Gabor S Ungvari  6   7 , Alan R Teo  8   9 , Takahiro A Kato  10 , Chee H Ng  11 , Yu-Tao Xiang  1   2
Affiliations
Free article

Hikikomori: A perspective from bibliometric analysis

Hong Cai et al. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2023 Oct.
Free article

Abstract

Aims: Hikikomori is a common phenomenon reported in Japan and many other countries. However, the broad trends of the research publications on hikikomori are unclear. Therefore, this study examined the patterns of research on hikikomori using bibliometric analysis.

Methods: Relevant publications were searched in Web of Science. Bibliometric analyses were performed with CiteSpace, R and VOSviewer.

Results: In total, 297 publications on hikikomori met the eligibility criteria. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry (IF = 10.461) published the most papers (K = 17, or 5.7%) on hikikomori. Takahiro A. Kato from Kyushu University (41; 13.8%; H-index = 18) was the most influential author, while Takahiro A. Kato (total link strength [TLS]: 235), Alan R. Teo (TLS: 157), and Masaru Tateno (TLS: 153) separately had the strongest research collaboration with other researchers. Of all countries that published on hikikomori, Japan had the highest number of publications (K = 91). The keywords "United States" and "psychiatric diagnosis" received the most attention between 2013 and 2015, whereas "health" and "autism spectrum disorder" received the most attention in 2021 and 2022.

Conclusions: Peer-reviewed research publications on hikikomori are growing rapidly and the research trends in this field are also changing.

Keywords: Japan; bibliometric analysis; hikikomori.

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References

    1. Kato TA, Kanba S, Teo AR. Defining pathological social withdrawal: Proposed diagnostic criteria for hikikomori. World Psychiatry 2020; 19: 116-117.
    1. Saito T. Shakaiteki Hikikomori: Owaranai Shishunki. PHP Kenkyujo, Toyko, 1998.
    1. Koyama A, Miyake Y, Kawakami N et al. Lifetime prevalence, psychiatric comorbidity and demographic correlates of “hikikomori” in a community population in Japan. Psychiatry Res. 2010; 176: 69-74.
    1. Kato TA, Kanba S, Teo AR. Hikikomori: Experience in Japan and international relevance. World Psychiatry 2018; 17: 105-106.
    1. Wong PW, Li TM, Chan M et al. The prevalence and correlates of severe social withdrawal (hikikomori) in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional telephone-based survey study. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2015; 61: 330-342.

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