Youth locked in time and space? Defining features of social withdrawal and practice implications

Abstract

This paper is vested with the purpose of critically discussing the defining features of social withdrawal by drawing references from studies in Hong Kong and Japan in particular. With the use of empirical data, the practice implications for working with young people in acute social withdrawal are examined with specific reference to the four defining features, namely, time, place, social relations and social status. It is argued that unless the defining features and the implied directions for measures and practice are thoroughly addressed, personal troubles and social ills that give rise to the downward spiral of withdrawal as a personal experience and social phenomenon cannot be broken.

Keywords:

• social withdrawal
• hikikomori
• young people
• adolescent mental health
• social exclusion

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the support of two research grants for this piece of work: the Faculty Research Grant of Hong Kong Baptist University (#FRG/05-06/I-01-30-05-101) and the General Research Fund of the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (#HKBU244707-32-07-447).