What Factors Are Important in Determining the Length of Seclusion Among South Korean Young Adult Hikikomori?

Background and Purpose:
A growing number of young adults in South Korea are isolating themselves from society, raising questions about the state of youth in a country known for cut-throat competition and pressure to conform. The global health crisis has exacerbated the problem of social isolation among young people and their mental health. The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA), a government think-tank, estimates that in 2019, around 3% of South Korea's population aged 19-34 will suffer from isolation, which the study defines as having no meaningful interaction outside of one's family and workplace, and no one to turn to for help when needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore and analyse the factors that cause hikikomori young adult to remain in seclusion, a social problem that has recently emerged in Korean society.

Methods:
We analyzed binomial logistic regression with data from the National Survey of Young Adult Life (conducted in 2022) using SPSS 26.0. The survey was conducted among "19 to 34 year olds" in accordance with Korea's Framework Act on Youth. For the analysis, we selected 338 young adults who answered "usually stay at home" when asked how often they go out.

This study examined the relationship between three major factors (personal, health, and social) and the length of seclusion. We used length of seclusion (0=less than 1 year, 1=more than 1 year) as the independent variable. Personal factors included age, gender, education level, monthly income, parental cohabitation, and work experience. Health-related factors included self-rated health status, presence of illness, depression, and suicidal ideation. Social-related factors included having experience during one year of cultural and artistic activities, sports activities, and interaction with people through offline and online.

Results:
The main findings were as follows: (1) Personal factors, including age(OR=2.693, p<.001) and work experience(OR=.432, p<.01) were associated with the length of seclusion; (2) Health-related factors, depression(OR=1.068, p<.05) was associated with the length of seclusion; (3) Sports experience during the year was associated with the length of seclusion of young adult hikikomori.

Conclusions and implications:
Based on these findings, it is recommended that tailored interventions be developed for reclusive young adults based on the duration of their isolation, whether it is less than one year or more than one year. This study underscores the importance of considering duration in designing targeted interventions for this population and suggests that factors such as age, previous work experience, depression, and engagement in sports activities are significant considerations. To alleviate young adult Hikikomori, it is be essential to establish mechanisms that enable them to reconnect with society and engage in their social community.