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Hikikomori Questionnaire

Feeling hopeless and spending prolonged periods in your room? Take this test to find out if you're experiencing 'Hikikomori Syndrome.'

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

April 1, 2024

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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The term "Hikikomori," derived from "hiki" meaning "to withdraw" and "komori" meaning "to be inside," was coined by Japanese Professor Tamaki Saito in 1998. Individuals with Hikikomori syndrome experience challenges in face-to-face communication, extreme social withdrawal, and difficulties in connecting with others. This condition not only prevents them from leaving their room, but also exacerbates feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, confidence, and their belief in their ability to be a useful part of society.

Recognizing and assessing levels of social withdrawal is crucial. Hikikomori is often associated with mental health issues, making it vital to seek support and appropriate interventions tailored to address the unique needs of each individual.

The Hikikomori Questionnaire is a widely recognized tool for assessing the extent of extreme social withdrawal in people across cultures. It serves as a reliable self-report measure specifically designed to accurately evaluate hikikomori tendencies.

You can take this test here. Please follow all of the steps to receive your results.

References: Teo, A. R., Chen, J. I., Kubo, H., Katsuki, R., Sato‐Kasai, M., Shimokawa, N., Hayakawa, K., Umene‐Nakano, W., Aikens, J. E., Kanba, S., & Kato, T. A. (2018). Development and validation of the 25‐item Hikikomori Questionnaire. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 72(10). 780–788.

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. I shut myself in my room.

2. I stay away from other people.

3. I do not live by society's rules and values.

4. I don’t have anyone I can trust with my problems with.

5. I spend most of my time at home.

6. There really is not anyone with whom I can discuss matters of importance.

7. People bother me.

8. I hate meeting new people.

9. There are no people in my life who can understand me.

10. I spend most of my time alone.

11. I feel uncomfortable around other people.

12. It is hard for me to join in on groups.

13. There are few people I can discuss my important issues with.

14. I spend very little time interacting with other people.

15. I do not like to be seen by others.

16. I rarely meet people in‐person.

17. I hate being in social situations.

18. I avoid talking with other people.

19. I much prefer to be alone than with others.

20. I do not enjoy social interactions.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.