Hikikomori, is it a culture-reactive or culture-bound syndrome? Nidotherapy and a clinical vignette from Oman: Nidotherapy and a clinical vignette from Oman

Noriyuki Sakamoto, Rodger G. Martin, Hiroaki Kumano, Tomifusa Kuboki, Samir Al-Adawi*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

86 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Hikikomori, a form of acute social withdrawal, is becoming a silent epidemic in Japan. As it has not been reported from other parts of the world, hikikomori fulfills the criteria for "a culture-bound syndrome." We report a case from Oman, in the southern part of Arabia, with all the essential features of hikikomori. We speculate that the social environment of Japanese and Omani society could reinforce behavior akin to hikikomori although this condition may also transcend geography and ethnicity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)191-198
Number of pages8
JournalInternational Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine
Volume35
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2005

Keywords

  • Adult
  • Asian People/psychology
  • Culture
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders/therapy
  • Oman
  • Reinforcement, Psychology
  • Social Alienation
  • Social Behavior
  • Syndrome

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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