A conversation analysis of independence support activities for hikikomori

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25380649
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (2014-2015); Ohtsuki City College (2013)
• Principal Investigator: Natsuho Iwata 政策研究大学院大学, 政策研究科, 准教授 (70536656)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NISHIZAKA Aug 千葉大学, 文学部, 教授 (80208173) ; HAYANO Kaoru 日本女子大学, 文学部 英文学科, 准教授 (20647143)
• Research Collaborator: KUROSHIMA Satomi 日本学術振興会, 特別研究員(PD) ; SUNAGA Masafumi 立教大学, 助教
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 就労支援 / 自立支援 / カウンセリング / 会話分析 / 相互行為 / トラブル語り / 若者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study first focused on the interaction between young adults who avoid social contact (so-called “hikikomori”) and counselors at a vocational-independence support program. Using conversation analysis as a research method to analyze video-recorded data, we clarified how the participant’s interactions were organized to achieve the “supporting” activity, and documented several conversational practices for making decisions, prompting the discussion of personal issues, and eliminating producing self-deprecation. We also investigated trouble-telling activities in other environments, such as the interactions observed at emergency shelters for evacuees of the areas affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant explosion. We developed an analysis of how volunteers showed their empathy towards evacuees when listening to their personal experiences, and presented our findings at several international conferences and in a number of international journals.

Free Research Field

社会言語学、日本語教育