SynthesisInternational journal of methods in psychiatric research2026
Association Between Loneliness and Hikikomori Symptoms. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in International journal of methods in psychiatric research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to investigate the association between loneliness and hikikomori symptoms.
methodsWe searched three electronic databases (plus hand search). Our review followed the PRISMA guidelines, and a PROSPERO registration was made. We included observational studies determining the association between loneliness and hikikomori symptoms.
resultsEight cross-sectional studies were finally included. Our psychometric meta-analysis revealed a mean corrected correlation of 0.68 (95% CI: 0.62 to 0.74). The mean corrected correlations of loneliness with the subscales socialization, isolation, and emotional support were 0.54 (95% CI: 0.50 to 0.58), 0.62 (95% CI: 0.60 to 0.64), and 0.71 (95% CI: 0.67 to 0.75), respectively. The mean corrected correlation for the association between loneliness and hikikomori symptoms was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.62 to 0.70) among European countries, whereas it was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.81 to 0.99) among Asian countries. Five of the studies were of good quality, and three were of fair quality.
conclusionOur work identified a strong, positive association between loneliness and hikikomori symptoms. Upcoming longitudinal studies are required to clarify the directionality between such factors. There is also a clear need for research in regions that have been neglected so far.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.