Sociological research on claims-making activities of those who experienced "hikikomori"

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K21427
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology; Social welfare and social work studies
• Research Institution: Rissho University
• Principal Investigator: Sekimizu Teppei 立正大学, 社会福祉学部, 准教授 (40547634)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ひきこもり経験 / 当事者活動 / セルフヘルプ / セルフアドボカシー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research clarified that claim-making activities by hikikomori people are based on acceptance of their own experiences, in which they could not response to various social expectations. Essential functions of their claim-making activities are as followings: (1) they can share such experiences of inability (self-helping function) and (2) they advocate their own will (what they really need) based on the self-helping experiences. In addition to that, I also explored the process of self-definitions which is a foundation for decision makings by hikikomori people.

Free Research Field

社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ひきこもり経験者による当事者活動への社会的期待が高まっている社会的状況において、当事者活動の核に「できなさ」の肯定や共有という意義があることを指摘したことは、当事者活動への支援やその意義の捉え方への変更を迫るものである。
また、ひきこもり経験者の自己決定や共同決定についてはこれまでの注目されてきたが、「自己定義」という位相を指摘し、本人が利用可能な言説資源がひきこもり経験者の意思決定の前提にあることが明らかにしたことは、支援のあり方にも再考を促すものだと考える。