Analyzing changes in help-seeking from mental and physical health professionals during COVID-19 in Japan.

Japan witnessed the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in March - May 2020. We examined whether the impact of COVID-19 on people seeking help from mental and physical health professionals varied with changes in employment (from full-time employment to unemployment or leave of absence) and psychological predisposition to new-type depression (Interpersonal Sensitivity [IS]/Privileged Self [PS]) associated with the pandemic. An online survey was conducted in June 2020 (after the outbreak of COVID-19) among people who were full-time employees as of April 2019. Data from 1,053 individuals were analyzed. The survey asked about regular visits to health professionals one year prior to the survey (June 2019) and at the time of the survey. Employment status, personality traits, and demographic characteristics were also examined. We found that consultation rates changed little before and after the pandemic. Logistic regression analysis showed that after controlling for age and gender, being unemployed or absent from work after the pandemic and having higher scores for IS/PS were positively associated with regular visits to health professionals. Considering that COVID-19 has been shown to increase the incidence of physical and mental illness, the finding that the rate of consultations remained unchanged implies that consultations were withheld. Joblessness/absence from work and IS/PS had negative effects on physical and mental health, leading to fewer visits.

Pathological social withdrawal in autism spectrum disorder: A case control study of hikikomori in Japan.

Introduction: Hikikomori, a form of pathological social withdrawal, has been suggested to have comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aimed to clarify how characteristics of ASD are associated with hikikomori. Methods: Thirty-nine adult male patients with a diagnosis of ASD attending our outpatient clinic for neurodevelopmental disabilities were subjected to a structured interview regarding social withdrawal, various self-administered questionnaires, and blood tests. Through structured interviews, the subjects were divided into two groups: (Group 1) ASD with hikikomori condition and (Group 2) ASD without hikikomori condition. Sixteen subjects qualified as hikikomori and 23 subjects qualified as subjects without hikikomori. Age, sex, autism spectrum quotient (AQ), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), and FIQ were matched. Results: Compared to non-hikikomori controls, hikikomori cases were likely to have stronger sensory symptoms, lower uric acid (UA) (p = 0.038), and higher rates of atopic dermatitis (p = 0.01). Cases showed more severe depressive and social anxiety symptoms based on self-rated scales: Patient Heath Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) (p < 0.001) and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Japanese Version (LSAS-J) (p = 0.04). Tarumi's Modern-Type Depression Trait Scale (TACS-22), which measure traits of Modern-Type Depression (MTD), were significantly higher in cases (p = 0.003). Conclusion: The present study has suggested that ASD patients with hikikomori were more likely to have higher sensory abnormalities, comorbid atopic dermatitis, lower UA, stronger depressive, and anxiety tendency. Evaluating and approaching these aspects are important for appropriate interventions in ASD with hikikomori. Further investigations should be conducted to validate our pilot findings.

Risk factors of hikikomori among office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective online survey.

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has forced people to restrict their outings. In Japan, self-restraint behavior (SRB) has been requested by the government, and some of those decreasing their outings may shift to pathological social withdrawal; hikikomori. The purpose of this study was to examine the risk factors of hikikomori conducting an online prospective survey. An online survey was conducted in June 2020 and December 2020; (1) SRB-related indicators (degree of SRB, motivation for SRB, stigma and self-stigma toward COVID-19, anxiety and depressive feelings toward COVID-19) and (2) general mental health (hikikomori tendency, depressive symptoms, modern type depression (MTD) tendency, internet addiction) were collected. A cross-lagged effects model was performed to examine the association between these variables. Lack of emotional support and lack of socialization in June 2020 increased isolation in December 2020. Besides, MTD and hikikomori interacted with each other. Interestingly, although hikikomori tendency increased depressive tendencies, SRB itself did not have a significant path on any mental health-related variables. Poor interpersonal relationships, rather than SRB per se, are suggested to be a risk factor for increased isolation among office workers in the COVID-19 pandemic. Appropriate early interventions such as interpersonal or emotional support may prevent the transition to pathological hikikomori. The association between MTD and hikikomori seems to reveal the interesting possibility that MTD is a gateway to increased risk of hikikomori, and that hikikomori is a gateway to MTD as well. Future research is required to elucidate the relationship between hikikomori and MTD.

Psychological Traits of Patients With Depression Comorbid With Chronic Pain: Are Complaint and Competitive Tendency Related to Pain?

BACKGROUND: Modern-Type Depression (MTD) is a category of depression that has been studied mainly in Japan; however, no study has attempted to determine its relation to chronic pain. AIM: To determine possible associations between psychological traits related to MTD and the chronic pain of patients at psychiatric clinics. METHOD: Two hundred and twenty-one first time patients who visited the psychiatric clinic at a Japanese university medical center or an associated clinic were enrolled. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms. The 22-item Tarumi's Modern-Type Depression Trait Scale (TACS-22), Achievement Motive, and 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale were used to assess psychological traits related to depression and chronic pain. The clinical diagnosis of each patient was confirmed by use of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, administered by experienced specialists. The medians of the psychological traits identified were compared between patients with or without chronic pain. Analysis was also done of patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). RESULT: Of the 221 patients, 139 had chronic pain. Patients with chronic pain had more severe depressive symptoms, Alexithymia, and high scores for the complaint trait of MTD. Seventy-three of the 221 patients met the criteria for MDD (53 had chronic pain). Patients with MDD comorbid with chronic pain had a higher competitive achievement score, severe depression, and difficulty identifying feelings. CONCLUSION: Complaint and competitive traits were shown to be related to chronic pain in psychiatric settings. Further study will allow us to design multidimensional approach for patients suffering from depression.

Plasma acetylcholine and nicotinic acid are correlated with focused preference for photographed females in depressed males: an economic game study.

Interpersonal difficulties are often observed in major depressive disorder (MDD), while the underlying psychological and biological mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. In the present case-control study, a PC-based trust game was conducted for 38 drug-free MDD patients and 38 healthy controls (HC). In the trust game, participants invested money in a partner (trusting behaviors), and also rated each partner's attractiveness (preference for others). In addition, blood biomarkers including metabolites were measured. Both MDD and HC males exhibited more trusting behaviors compared to females. MDD males' preference for ordinary-attractive partners (lay-person photographs) was lower than HC males, whereas their preference for high-attractive females (fashion-model photographs) was similar levels to HC males. This tendency in MDD males could reflect a "focused (narrowed) preference for females". As for blood biomarker analysis, the levels of 37 metabolites including acetylcholine, AMP, GMP, nicotinic acid and tryptophan were significantly different between two groups. Interestingly, among male participants, acetylcholine and nicotinic acid were negatively correlated with the level of focused preference for photographed females. In sum, we have revealed some behavioral, psychological and biological traits of trusting behaviors and preference for others especially in MDD males. Larger studies should be conducted to validate our preliminary findings.

Autism spectrum conditions in hikikomori: A pilot case-control study.

AIM: Hikikomori, a form of pathological social withdrawal, has been suggested to have comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aimed to clarify how characteristics of hikikomori are associated with ASD, including undiagnosed autism spectrum conditions (ASC), in clinical settings. METHODS: A total of 416 clinical patients were recruited through the Mood Disorder/Hikikomori Clinic at Kyushu University Hospital. A total of 103 hikikomori cases and 221 clinical controls without hikikomori conditions were extracted using a semi-structured interview, and completed a series of self-rated scales, including the Japanese version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-J). RESULTS: Compared to non-hikikomori controls, hikikomori cases were more likely to have higher autistic tendency based on the AQ-J. The cases showed more severe subjective depressive symptoms based on the self-rated Beck Depression Inventory II, whereas no significant difference was found on interview-based severity evaluation using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Comparison within hikikomori cases based on the AQ-J cut-off score revealed that hikikomori cases with high ASC were significantly more likely to have higher traits of modern-type depression, smaller social networks, and less social support. CONCLUSION: The present data suggest that hikikomori sufferers are more likely to have autistic tendency, and that hikikomori sufferers with high ASC may have much more difficulty in social communication and social interaction. In addition, those with high ASC may also have lower self-esteem and higher complaint tendencies as aspects of modern-type depression traits, which may relate to the occurrence of hikikomori. Thus, evaluating autistic tendencies is important for appropriate interventions in hikikomori. Further investigations should be conducted to validate our pilot findings using structured diagnostic systems of ASD.

Social withdrawal in major depressive disorder: a case-control study of hikikomori in japan.

BACKGROUND: Social withdrawal is a feature of a number of psychiatric disorders including major depressive disorder (MDD), yet research examining social withdrawal as a feature of MDD is rare. METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study. Participants (N = 67) were recruited through an outpatient clinic at an academic medical center in Japan. Major depressive disorder (MDD) and social withdrawal were established with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders and a semi-structured psychiatric interview, respectively. Participants also completed self-report measures. RESULTS: We classified 24 participants as cases (MDD with social withdrawal) and 43 participants as controls (MDD without social withdrawal). Cases, on average, were more likely to have lower education level, prior episodes of depression, and higher suicidal ideation at baseline than controls. In unadjusted regression models, cases had significantly less social connection, less reward dependence, less self-directedness, and higher scores on scales of modern-type depression and hikikomori. In adjusted regression models, associations between social withdrawal and hikikomori (p<0.01) and reward dependence (p = 0.03) remained significant. LIMITATIONS: The sample was limited in size and drawn from a single site. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with MDD, social withdrawal may have subtle associations with clinical symptoms, social connection, and personality traits. Developing a better understanding of social withdrawal's phenotype in depression requires more in-depth examination.

Internet Addiction, Smartphone Addiction, and Hikikomori Trait in Japanese Young Adult: Social Isolation and Social Network.

Background: As the number of internet users increases, problems related to internet overuse are becoming more and more serious. Adolescents and youth may be particularly attracted to and preoccupied with various online activities. In this study, we investigated the relationship of internet addiction, smartphone addiction, and the risk of hikikomori, severe social withdrawal, in Japanese young adult. Methods: The subjects were 478 college/university students in Japan. They were requested to complete the study questionnaire, which consisted of questions about demographics, internet use, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)-Short Version (SV), the 25-item Hikikomori Questionnaire (HQ-25), etc. We investigated the difference and correlation of the results between two groups based on the purpose of internet use or the total score of each self-rating scale, such as screened positive or negative for the risk of internet addiction, smartphone addiction, or hikikomori. Results: There was a trend that males favored gaming in their internet use while females used the internet mainly for social networking via smartphone, and the mean SAS-SV score was higher in females. Two-group comparisons between gamers and social media users, according to the main purpose of internet use, showed that gamers used the internet longer and had significantly higher mean IAT and HQ-25 scores. Regarding hikikomori trait, the subjects at high risk for hikikomori on HQ-25 had longer internet usage time and higher scores on both IAT and SAS-SV. Correlation analyses revealed that HQ-25 and IAT scores had a relatively strong relationship, although HQ-25 and SAS-SV had a moderately weak one. Discussion: Internet technology has changed our daily lives dramatically and altered the way we communicate as well. As social media applications are becoming more popular, users are connected more tightly to the internet and their time spent with others in the real world continues to decrease. Males often isolate themselves from the social community in order to engage in online gaming while females use the internet as to not be excluded from their communications online. Mental health providers should be aware of the seriousness of internet addictions and hikikomori.

Clarifying Deeper Psychological Characteristics of Hikikomori Using the Rorschach Comprehensive System: A Pilot Case-Control Study.

Hikikomori, a form of severe social withdrawal more than 6 months, has increasingly become a crucial issue especially among adolescents. Loneliness, avoidant personality, Japanese culture-related attachment style ("amae"), and difficulty in expressing emotions are suggested to be related to hikikomori. However, deeper psychological aspects have not been well clarified. The Rorschach test is one of the most popular psychological assessment tools to evaluate deeper personality traits. The Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS) has been established as the most reliable scoring method. Until now, no CS research has been conducted focusing on hikikomori. Therefore, we herein conducted a pilot case-control study using CS in clinical cases with and without hikikomori condition. Participants were recruited from the Mood Disorder/Hikikomori Clinic at Kyushu University Hospital. Twenty-two patients with hikikomori (HK patients) and 18 patients without hikikomori (non-HK patients) participated in the present study. All the 40 participants conducted the self-report Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II) personality questionnaire and CS. Regarding the SCID-II personality questionnaire, various personality traits including passive aggressive trait were significantly higher in HK patients. Among CS variables, HK patients showed higher scores on FC (Form Color) and SumT (total number of texture-related responses). In addition, frequency of SumT was higher in HK patients. The present results suggest that persons with hikikomori are more likely to express emotions indirectly and expect others to presume their feelings and thoughts. Persons with hikikomori may also have difficulty in becoming independent emotionally from primitive dependence and attachment on significant others. Further investigations with larger samples are warranted for validation.

Development and validation of the 22-item Tarumi's Modern-Type Depression Trait Scale: Avoidance of Social Roles, Complaint, and Low Self-Esteem (TACS-22).

AIM: Understanding premorbid personality is important, especially when considering treatment selection. Historically, the premorbid personality of patients with major depression in Japan was described as Shuchaku-kishitsu [similar to Typus melancholicus], as proposed by Shimoda in the 1930s. Since around 2000, there have been increased reports in Japan of young adults with depression who have had premorbid personality differing from the traditional type. In 2005, Tarumi termed this novel condition 'dysthymic-type depression,' and more recently the condition has been called Shin-gata/Gendai-gata Utsu-byo [modern-type depression (MTD)]. We recently developed a semi-structured diagnostic interview to evaluate MTD. Development of a tool that enables understanding of premorbid personality in a short time, especially at the early stage of treatment, is desirable. The object of this study was to develop a self-report scale to evaluate the traits of MTD, and to assess the scale's psychometric properties, diagnostic accuracy, and biological validity. METHODS: A sample of 340 participants from clinical and community settings completed measures. Psychometric properties were assessed with factor analysis. Diagnostic accuracy of the MTD traits was compared against a semi-structured interview. RESULTS: The questionnaire contained 22 items across three subscales, thus we termed it the 22-item Tarumi's Modern-Type Depression Trait Scale: Avoidance of Social Roles, Complaint, and Low Self-Esteem (TACS-22). Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity were all satisfactory. Among patients with major depression, the area under the curve was 0.757 (sensitivity of 63.1% and specificity of 82.9%) and the score was positively correlated with plasma tryptophan. CONCLUSION: The TACS-22 possessed adequate psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy in an initial sample of Japanese adults. Additional research on its ability to support clinical assessment of MTD is warranted.

Development of MHFA-based 2-h educational program for early intervention in depression among office workers: A single-arm pilot trial.

OBJECTIVE: In the workplace depression and suicide are serious mental health problems. A lack of knowledge and mental health skills along with the stigma toward mental health problems often results in delays in seeking professional help. Interventions targeting not only persons with mental health problems but also people around the individual are warranted in order to encourage supporting behavior within entire workplace. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of our newly developed educational training program in the management with depression and suicidal risk in the workplace as a single-arm pilot trial. METHODS: The program is a two-hour (2-h) training course for employees based on the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program which aims to increase public mental health literacy. We conducted this program at a company workplace among 91 employees, and ultimately 83 participants completed the self-rated questionnaires. Changes in confidence and practical skills in early intervention of depression and suicide-prevention, and stigma toward mental health problems were evaluated using self-rated questionnaires at 3 time-points; pre-program, immediately post-program, and 1 month after the program. RESULTS: Confidence and practical skills were significantly improved even 1 month after the program, and stigma reduced just after the program. CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study suggests that the program has a positive impact on encouraging employees to support their co-workers with mental health problems, and is applicable for busy workers due to its short duration. A single-arm design, evaluation using self-rated questionnaire and short-term follow up period are the main limitations of the present study. Hence, future research is required to validate the effects of this program with control groups, and also to assess long-term effectiveness and objective changes such as absenteeism and sick leave. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) R000023258.

Development and validation of the 25-item Hikikomori Questionnaire (HQ-25).

AIM: Hikikomori, a form of severe social withdrawal, is an emerging issue in mental health, for which validated measurement tools are lacking. The object was to develop a self-report scale of hikikomori, and assess its psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy. METHODS: A sample of 399 participants from clinical and community settings completed measures. Psychometric properties were assessed with factor analysis; diagnostic accuracy was compared against a semi-structured diagnostic interview. RESULTS: The Hikikomori Questionnaire contained 25 items across three subscales representing socialization, isolation, and emotional support. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity were all satisfactory. The area under the curve was 0.86 (95% confidence interval, 0.80-0.92). A cut-off score of 42 (out of 100) was associated with a sensitivity of 94%, specificity of 61%, and positive predictive value of 17%. CONCLUSION: The 25-item Hikikomori Questionnaire (HQ-25) possesses robust psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy in an initial sample of Japanese adults. Additional research on its psychometric properties and ability to support clinical assessment of hikikomori is warranted.

Development of a 2-h suicide prevention program for medical staff including nurses and medical residents: A two-center pilot trial.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a crucial global health concern and effective suicide prevention has long been warranted. Mental illness, especially depression is the highest risk factor of suicide. Suicidal risk is increased in people not only with mental illness but also with physical illnesses, thus medical staff caring for physically-ill patients are also required to manage people with suicidal risk. In the present study, we evaluated our newly developed suicide intervention program among medical staff. METHODS: We developed a 2-h suicide intervention program for medical staff, based on the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), which had originally been developed for the general population. We conducted this program for 74 medical staff members from 2 hospitals. Changes in knowledge, perceived skills, and confidence in early intervention of depression and suicide-prevention were evaluated using self-reported questionnaires at 3 points; pre-program, immediately after the program, and 1 month after program. RESULTS: This suicide prevention program had significant effects on improving perceived skills and confidence especially among nurses and medical residents. These significant effects lasted even 1 month after the program. LIMITATIONS: Design was a single-arm study with relatively small sample size and short-term follow up. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that the major target of this effective program is nurses and medical residents. Future research is required to validate the effects of the program with control groups, and also to assess long-term effectiveness and actual reduction in suicide rates.