Proposal of comprehensive support measures centered on grasping the actual situation of elderly hikikomori in depopulated areas and regional intervention.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K10258
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Chuo University
• Principal Investigator: Yamashina Mitsuru 中央大学, 文学部, 教授 (40306957)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大塚 耕太郎 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (00337156)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ひきこもり / 精神科 / アウトリーチ / 過疎地域

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A psychiatrist collaborated with a mental health official in a local government in the Tohoku region to conduct an outreach activity to meet with the hikikomori person. The data of the interviewees were analyzed by focusing on one municipality.
The number of subjects was 27 (of which 23 were able to interview themselves), the average age was 39.0 years, and the average withdrawal period was 13.0 years. The intervention resulted in 18 out of 27 people getting out of hikikomori and 9 working. Twelve people visited medical institutions, and the maximum number of diagnoses was 7 in the mood disorder zone. All people with a withdrawal period of less than 10 years were able to escape from withdrawal. The longer the withdrawal period, the more difficult it is to improve, but even people with a withdrawal period of 26 years were able to take the opportunity of an interview to settle in the area.

Free Research Field

精神神経科学　臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ひきこもりに対する支援は心理・社会的側面が強調され、精神科医療の関与については否定的な見解も散見される。しかし今回、精神科医が地元の精神保健関係者と共にひきこもりの人の自宅を繰り返し訪問し本人面接を行うことにより、改善のきっかけが得られた場合が多々あった。その際、医療の関与抜きに改善が難しい統合失調症の人や重度のうつ病の場合は医療に繋ぐことが優先された。軽度のうつ病・躁うつ病の人や発達障害圏の人では、関与しながら待つことで、本人が動き出すタイミングに合わせて心理・社会的支援を提供することができた。支援の初期段階で精神科医がアセスメントをていねいに行うことの重要性が示されたといえる。