Nancy Smith
Investigating the culture bound phenomenon of ‘Adolescence without End’. The hidden lives of one million adolescents and young adults in Japan who have opted out of society and its expectations and confine themselves to their rooms in a state of acute social withdrawal; hiding away from all connection with society. What leads them into hiding and why do they stay so long? Looking specifically at culture bound aspects of educational and child raising norms within the target country that may be triggers, this paper aims to identify factors that suggest a connection between avoidance strategies in verbal communication and the physical manifestation of hiding away. By examining possible triggers and connecting data, I will present a risk factor cline of students who may be susceptible to becoming hikikomori (hidden away) and in turn raise some questions regarding how cautious and sensitive early intervention may or may not provide some relief to this increasing social and depressive disorder.
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