Identifying hub functions and collaboration patterns in hikikomori support networks: A nationwide cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Aim: Hikikomori, a condition involving prolonged social withdrawal, has become a major public health and social challenge in Japan and many countries. While support institutions are essential for reaching this population, little is known about how their organizational characteristics influence collaboration with other services.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey of 1024 hikikomori-related support institutions in Japan between February and March 2021. Institutions were classified using K-means cluster analysis based on staff size, collaboration count, and case volume. Multiple regression models assessed associations between these attributes and levels of external collaboration with health and welfare organizations.

Results: Three distinct institutional clusters were identified. Institutions serving more diverse populations showed higher levels of interorganizational collaboration; a lean, outreach-oriented "Collaborative Core" subgroup exhibited the strongest external engagement.

Conclusion: Structural features such as diversity, functional capacity, and outreach orientation were associated with network collaboration. Policymakers and administrators should consider these structural attributes when designing inclusive and coordinated public mental health services for socially withdrawn populations. The proposed framework may serve as a model for similar contexts across countries.