From withdrawal to web: A cross-sectional study of Hikikomori tendencies, social cynicism, and problematic internet use among young adults in Singapore.
Background: Hikikomori, marked by intense social withdrawal and isolation, was first reported in Japan and has since been identified globally, including in Singapore. While excessive internet use has been proposed as a potential contributing factor, its influence remains contested. Rather, a person'...
| Publicado en: | International Journal of Social Psychiatry Vol. 72; no. 1; pp. 129 - 138 |
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| Autores principales: | , , , |
| Formato: | Artículo |
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Sage Publications Inc.
Feb2026
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=191074410&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ssf uiTerm: 191074410 longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 00207640 ISP jtl: International Journal of Social Psychiatry issn: 00207640 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Feb2026 vid: 72 iid: 1 pid: 344 pub: Sage Publications Inc. artinfo: ui: 191074410 10.1177/00207640251357077 ppf: 129 ppct: 9 formats: tig: atl: From withdrawal to web: A cross-sectional study of Hikikomori tendencies, social cynicism, and problematic internet use among young adults in Singapore. aug: au: Morshidi, Izzat Naidu, Kuhanesan Embleton, Samuel George Millar, Anthony affil: University of Portsmouth, UK Royal Holloway, University of London, UK Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore su: Singapore Internet addiction Cross-sectional method Analysis of variance Social isolation Patients' attitudes Adults Research funding Statistical sampling Multiple regression analysis Questionnaires Descriptive statistics Data analysis software sug: subj: Internet addiction Cross-sectional method Analysis of variance Social isolation Patients' attitudes Adults Singapore Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling Research funding Statistical sampling Multiple regression analysis Questionnaires Descriptive statistics Data analysis software keyword: Hikikomori internet use social cynicism Hikikomori internet use social cynicism ab: Background: Hikikomori, marked by intense social withdrawal and isolation, was first reported in Japan and has since been identified globally, including in Singapore. While excessive internet use has been proposed as a potential contributing factor, its influence remains contested. Rather, a person's negative and cynical view of their social environment may better explain the tendency to withdraw which is mediated by internet use. Aims: This study investigates social cynicism as a potential antecedent of Hikikomori among Singaporean adults, exploring whether problematic internet use mediates this relationship. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional design with a sample of 229 adults in Singapore, using validated measures to assess levels of social cynicism, problematic internet use, and Hikikomori tendencies. Path analyses were applied to determine both direct and mediated effects. Results: Results indicated that social cynicism and problematic internet use significantly predicted Hikikomori tendencies, with social cynicism having a stronger effect. Furthermore, internet use partially mediated the relationship between social cynicism and Hikikomori, suggesting that while internet use contributes, social cynicism exerts a more robust influence on Hikikomori tendencies in Singapore. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of addressing social cynicism in interventions to mitigate Hikikomori in Singapore. Targeting cynical beliefs about societal environments may enhance social integration and reduce the prevalence of social withdrawal. Future research and interventions should thus prioritize addressing these cynical perspectives to support well-being and reduce Hikikomori in the Singaporean context. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: N holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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