Hikikomori and School Refusal - hilo.hawaii.edu

1 ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Hikikomori and School Refusal by Lindsey Saunders Life in Japanese schools can be a horrid H[SHULHQFH %XOO\LQJ HQWUDQFH H[DPV DQG FRQVWDQW peer pressure are just some problems that children IDFH 7 KLV FRXOG EH VDLG RI VFKRROFKLOGUHQ LQ GLIIHUHQW countries as well, but the children in Japan have a XQLTXH UHVSRQVH WR VFKRRO UHODWHG SUHVVXUH 7 KLV PDQLIHVWV LQ DQ LQWHUHVWLQJ SKHQRPHQRQ FDOOHG Hikikomori <RX PD\ KDYH KHDUG WKLV ZRUG IURP WKH QHZV GXH WR VRPH RI WKH PRVW H[WUHPH FDVHV 7KH JHQHUDO GHILQLWLRQ RI Hikikomori is those that shut themselves in their rooms , or another part of their house, and refuse to come out no matter what for at OHDVW PRQWKV +RZHYHU ZKDW \RX PD\ QRW UHDOL]H LV that most Hikikomori DUH OHWKDUJLF UDWKHU WKDQ YLROHQW 7KH\ IHHO WKH\ ZRXOGQ W EH DEOH WR KDQGOH IDLOXUH LQ -DSDQ V VXFFHVV RULHQWHG VRFLHW\ ,Q PRVW FDVHV WKH\ PD\ QRW KDYH WR EHFDXVH RI WKH ODUJH GHSHQGHQF\ RQ SDUHQWV $QRWKHU SUREOHP WKDW RFFXUV LQ -DSDQ LV WKH VWXGHQW UHIXVLQJ WR DWWHQG VFKRRO DQG LV FDOOHG VFKRRO Refusal , or toukoukyohi, which could lead to Hikikomori However, it is usually just centered on School , with VWXGHQWV EHLQJ HLWKHU DIUDLG WR JR RU MXVW ODFNLQJ WKH HQHUJ\ WR NHHS XS ZLWK WKH KLJK SDFHG HGXFDWLRQ V\VWHP ,Q -DSDQ VFKRRO LV FRQVLGHUHG D IXQGDPHQWDO SDUW of society.]]

2 And many students and the population LQ JHQHUDO EHOLHYH WKDW LI \RX FDQ PDNH JRRG JUDGHV DQG JHW LQWR D JRRG VFKRRO WKH UHVW RI \RXU OLIH ZLOO ZRUN RXW ZRQGHUIXOO\ 7 KLV DSSOLHV D ULGLFXORXV DPRXQW RI SUHVVXUH WR VWXGHQWV FDXVLQJ DQ[LHW\ DQG VHOI GRXEW %HFDXVH VFKRRO LV VXFK DQ LQWHJUDO SDUW RI -DSDQHVH OLIH VFKRRO UHIXVDO LV RIWHQ GLVFXVVHG DPRQJ adults and usually turns into more of a political issue EHFDXVH RI RSSRVLQJ YLHZV RQ HGXFDWLRQDO PHWKRGV DQG FXUULFXOXP 7KH SUREOHP ZKHWKHU LW OLHV ZLWK the individual students or the School system itself, is KLJKO\ GHEDWHG <RQH\DPD S ,Q WKHVH GHEDWHV VFKRRO SKRELD LV EURNHQ XS LQWR IRXU GLIIHUHQW FDWHJRULHV SV\FKLDWULF DV PHQWDO LOOQHVV WKH VWXGHQW LV EODPHG UDWKHU WKDQ WKH VFKRRO and the children are sent for medical help and labeled DV DEQRUPDO EHKDYLRUDO DV OD]LQHVV WKH VWXGHQW V own selfishness is the cause and more discipline is QHHGHG FLWL]

3 HQ V GLVFRXUVH DV UHVLVWDQFH KLJKHU authorities feel the problem is not with the students EXW ZLWK WKH VFKRROV DQG VRFLHW\ LQ JHQHUDO ZKLFK FDOOV IRU KLJKHU SROLWLFDO FKDQJH DQG WKH VRFLR PHGLFDO GLVFRXUVH DV EXUQRXW WKH SUREOHP OLHV ZLWK WKH VFKRRO V VRFLHWDO VWUXFWXUH DQG XUJHV FKLOGUHQ WR UHVW ZKHQ DFDGHPLF GHPDQGV DQG KLJK SUHVVXUH VRFLDO VLWXDWLRQV FDXVH WKHP WR SDQLF <RQH\DPD Many cases of Hikikomori in fact start out as School Refusal , or toukoukyohi 7 KRVH DIIOLFWHG ZLWK toukoukyohi ZKDWHYHU WKH FDXVH RIWHQ VKRZ VLJQV RI H[KDXVWLRQ DQG DOVR SDQLF DWWDFNV RU DQ[LHW\ GLVRUGHU Toukoukyouhi is often related to School SKRELD ZKLFK LQFOXGHV IHDU RI JRLQJ WR VFKRRO HPRWLRQDO GLVWXUEDQFH DQG EHLQJ LQ WKH VDIHW\ RI SDUHQWV <RQH\DPD +RZHYHU PDQ\ VFKRRO refusals result from academic burnout on the part of WKH VWXGHQW 7 KHVH VWXGHQWV ODFN WKH GHVLUH WR FRQWLQXH GRZQ ZKDW LV VHHQ DV DQ LPSRVVLEOH SDWK 7 RPRKLUR ,WVXQR VWDWHV WKDW DV IRU toukoukyouhi, the usual precursor to Hikikomori , several factors are SUREDEO\ WR EODPH +H GLIIHUHQWLDWHV EHWZHHQ IDPLO\ DQG VFKRRO SUREOHPV )]]

4 DPLO\ SUREOHPV LQFOXGH DGYDQFHG KRPH WHFKQRORJ\ WDNLQJ DZD\ IURP WKH GRPHVWLF WUDLQLQJ WKDW XVXDOO\ FRPHV IURP SDUHQWV WR FKLOGUHQ 7 KLV GHQLHV FKLOGUHQ WKH SDUHQWDO ERQG WKDW GHYHORSV WKURXJK VXFK WUDLQLQJ $QRWKHU SRVVLELOLW\ FRXOG EH WKH VKULQNLQJ VL]H RI -DSDQHVH IDPLOLHV FKLOGUHQ GRQ W H[SHULHQFH WKH VKDULQJ DQG UHODWLQJ WKDW FRPHV ZLWK VLEOLQJV %HFDXVH RI WKLV WKH VRFLDO SHUVRQD GHYHORSV ODWHU WKDQ QRUPDO $OVR WKH -DSDQHVH IDPLO\ LV FHQWHUHG DURXQG WKH FKLOG UHODWLQJ WKH PHVVDJH that the parents are only there to serve the child and WKHUHIRUH WKH FKLOG GRHVQ W IHHO DQ\ UHVSRQVLELOLW\ 7 KLV can also cause a co-dependant relationship between PRWKHU DQG FKLOG 7 UDXPD PD\ RFFXU ZKHQ VHSDUDWLRQ DFWXDOO\ KDSSHQV DV LQ EHFRPLQJ D shakaijin, or a PHPEHU RI VRFLHW\ ,WVXQR ,Q UHODWLRQ WR VFKRRO UHIXVDO 7 RPRKLUR PHQWLRQV WKH ODUJHVW FDXVH EHLQJ SRRU DFDGHPLF UHVXOWV DQG EODPHV WKH VFKRROV IRU WU\LQJ WR FUDP ODUJH DPRXQWV RI VSHFLILF LQIRUPDWLRQ LQ FKLOGUHQ V PLQGV $OVR WKH HTXDOLW\ RI RXWFRPH LV VWDWHG ,Q Japan.

5 Equality is one of the most important aspects RI HGXFDWLRQ DQG XQOLNH $PHULFD V YLHZ RI HTXDOLW\ of opportunity, Japan focuses on the equality of HYHU\RQH V RXWFRPHV 2 NDPRWR 7 KLV SXWV D ORW RI SUHVVXUH RQ \RXQJ FKLOGUHQ QRW RQO\ WR VWULYH WR UHDFK HYHU\RQH HOVH V OHYHO EXW DOVR SUHYHQWLQJ WKRVH H[FHSWLRQDO FKLOGUHQ IURP UHYHDOLQJ WKHLU IXOO SRWHQWLDO ,WVXQR ,Q (GXFDWLRQDO 5 HIRUP D YLHZ LV PHQWLRQHG WKDW EHIRUH WKH V FKLOGUHQ VSHQW PRUH WLPH outside with their families, with other children, and with the community, and thus learned the majority RI WKHLU PRUDO DQG VRFLDO HGXFDWLRQ LQ WKLV ZD\ 7 RGD\ KRZHYHU FRPPXQLW\ DFWLYLW\ LV ORZHU ZKLOH VHGHQWDU\ DFWLYLWLHV DQG WKH OLNHOLKRRG RI ERWK SDUHQWV ZRUNLQJ IXOO WLPH DUH KLJKHU &DYH 7KH UDWH RI FKLOGUHQ UHIXVLQJ WR DWWHQG VFKRRO KDV GRXEOHG VLQFH -RQHV )]

6 URP D UHSRUW ZULWWHQ E\ WKH 0 LQLVWU\ RI (GXFDWLRQ LQ WKHUH were almost 50,000 students from elementary and VHFRQGDU\ VFKRROV WKDW KDGQ W DWWHQGHG LQ DW OHDVW GD\V 2I WKRVH LQ VHFRQGDU\ VFKRRO FODLPHG LW ZDV ODFN RI VSLULW RU GLVOLNH RI VFKRRO VWDWHG DQ[LHW\ GLVRUGHUV DV WKH FDXVH DQG ZHUH IURP PLVFRQGXFW DQG WKH SXUVXLW RI SOHDVXUH ,WVXQR Students with School Refusal usually start RXW E\ FODLPLQJ WKH\ FDQQRW JR WR VFKRRO XVXDOO\ EHFDXVH WKH\ IHHO H[FHVVLYH WLUHGQHVV +RZHYHU RIWHQ WLPHV WKH\ DUHQ W UHDOO\ VXUH ZK\ WKH\ FDQ W EULQJ WKHPVHOYHV WR JR WR VFKRRO <RQH\DPD S 0DQ\ VFKRRO UHIXVDOV VWDUW DIWHU D SHULRG RI JRLQJ WR the School clinic, where students are allowed to be at School but without any of the pressures of normal FODVV $IWHU WKLV WKHUH LV XVXDOO\ JUHDW SUHVVXUH SXW RQ WKH VWXGHQW WR JR EDFN WR VFKRRO DQG V\PSWRPV OLNH VWRPDFKDFKH RU KHDGDFKH EHJLQ WR DSSHDU 6 RPHWLPHV YLROHQFH DJDLQVW SDUHQWV E\ WKH VWXGHQW RFFXUV LQ UHVSRQVH WR WKH SUHVVXUH SXW RQ WKHP $IWHU WKLV VRPHWLPHV IRU ODUJH DPRXQWV RI WLPH WKH VWXGHQWV process their situation, and usually comes to the conclusion that they are not in School not because WKHUH LV VRPHWKLQJ ZURQJ ZLWK WKHP EXW EHFDXVH WKH\ GRQ W OLNH LW DQG DUH DEOH WR FULWLFL]H WKH VFKRRO V\VWHP LQ WKHLU PLQGV DQG DVVHUW WKHPVHOYHV )]

7 LQDOO\ VRPH find self-confidence and are able to live in society DJDLQ EXW IHHO WKDW VFKRRO ZDV D EDG WKLQJ WKDW WRRN DZD\ WKHLU SHUVRQDOLW\ <RQH\DPD +RZHYHU QRW DOO VWXGHQWV HQG XS WKLV ZD\ VRPH VLQN IXUWKHU into Hikikomori , complete detachment from society, DQG VRPH FRPPLW VXLFLGH RU UHVRUW WR FULPH DJDLQVW RWKHUV 7 KHUH DUH D IHZ DFFHSWHG LGHDV RI ZKDW FRXOG EH FDXVLQJ Hikikomori 7KH 0 LQLVWU\ RI (GXFDWLRQ V OLVW RI FDXVHV IRU VFKRRO UHIXVDO DUH DV IROORZV QHXURWLF HPRWLRQDO FRQIXVLRQ PHQWDO GLVRUGHU DV LQ WKH HDUO\ VWDWHV RI GHSUHVVLRQ RU VFKL]RSKUHQLD SRRU DFDGHPLF SHUIRUPDQFH PHQWDO RU HPRWLRQDO GLVDELOLWLHV PDODGMXVWPHQW IURP WUDQVIHUULQJ VFKRROV DQG D ODFN RI YDOXLQJ HGXFDWLRQ ,WVXQR 7KH UHDVRQV listed are wide and varied, but many of them could EH DFFUHGLWHG WR VRFLDO SUHVVXUH RU ODFN RI SDUHQWDO LQYROYHPHQW.)

8 Q -DSDQHVH VRFLHW\ LW LV YHU\ FRPPRQ IRU FKLOGUHQ WR OLYH ZLWK WKHLU SDUHQWV XQWLO WKH\ JHW PDUULHG HYHQ ZKHQ WKH FKLOG LV RXW RI FROOHJH ZLWK D IXOO WLPH MRE 7KH KDELW RI UHO\LQJ RQ SDUHQWV FRXOG EH RQH UHDVRQ Hikikomori LV SRVVLEOH IRU WKRVH ZLWK VRFLDO SUREOHPV 'U 6 DLWR FODLPV WKDW Hikikomori is a family and social GLVHDVH EDVHG ODUJHO\ RQ WKH FKLOG SDUHQW GHSHQGHQW relationship and the amount of pressure that is placed RQ \RXQJ PDOHV DQG WR D OHVVHU H[WHQW IHPDOHV WR VXFFHHG LQ -DSDQHVH VRFLHW\ 0 DULNR )XMLZDUD WKH GLUHFWRU RI UHVHDUFK DW +DNXKRGR ,QVWLWXWH RI /LIH DQG /LYLQJ LQ 7RN\R VD\V WKDW WRGD\ V SDUHQWV DUH PRUH GHPDQGLQJ EHFDXVH -DSDQ V GHFOLQLQJ ELUWK UDWH means they have fewer children on whom to push WKHLU KRSHV -RQHV $ -DSDQHVH WHDFKHU ZKR KDG D VWXGHQW VWRS JRLQJ WR VFKRRO DOVR FODLPHG WKLV ZDV D SUREOHP VD\LQJ WKDW >WKH PRWKHU@ KRSHG IRU WRR PXFK IURP ZKHQ >WKH FKLOG@ ZDV ERUQ 6KH WKRXJKW KLJK H[SHFWDWLRQV HTXDOHG ORYH /H7 HQGUH $Q $PHULFDQ SV\FKRORJLVW 'U 'DYLG.]]

9 XSIHU VWDWHV WKDW ,Q -DSDQ WKH SUHVVXUH WR VXFFHHG LV D XQLTXH FXOWXUDO VRXUFH RI WUDXPD .DU\ $QRWKHU SV\FKRORJLVW <XLFKL +DWWRUL 0 $ FODLPV WKH SUREOHP LV XQHPRWLRQDO SDUHQWLQJ 0 RVW RI KLV SDWLHQWV KDYHQ W EHHQ SK\VLFDOO\ RU VH[XDOO\ abused, but they seem to have post-traumatic stress GLVRUGHU DQG KH WKLQNV LW V IURP ]RPELH OLNH SDUHQWV 7 KLV UHODWHV WR WKH -DSDQHVH LGHDO RI hone and tatemae WUXH IHHOLQJV YV RXWZDUG DFWLRQV ZKLFK LV RQH RI WKH FRUQHUVWRQHV RI -DSDQHVH VRFLHW\ .DU\ Most Hikikomori experience depression and REVHVVLYH FRPSXOVLYH GLVRUGHUV KRZHYHU WKLV LV XVXDOO\ D VLGH HIIHFW RI EHLQJ VKXW LQ ZLWK QR KXPDQ FRQWDFW UDWKHU WKDQ D FDXVH IRU LVRODWLRQ -RQHV 7 KHUH DUH VLPLODULWLHV WR DJRUDSKRELD DQG RWKHU PHQWDO illness, but Hikikomori usually act normal unless they DUH SODFHG LQ D VWUHVVIXO VLWXDWLRQ.

10 DWWV ,W LV said that Hikikomori usually have a narcissist nature, SUHYHQWLQJ WKHP IURP EHLQJ DEOH WR IDLO LQ SXEOLF EHFDXVH WKHLU SULGH LV WRR KLJK 2 JLQR Many Hikikomori FODLP LW ZDV EXOO\LQJ LQ VFKRRO WKDW OHG WKHP WR LVRODWH WKHPVHOYHV UHDVRQV UDQJLQJ IURP EHLQJ WRR IDW WR WRR VK\ WR HYHQ EHLQJ EHWWHU WKDQ HYHU\RQH HOVH DW D VSRUW RU KREE\ -RQHV $JDLQ WKLV UHODWHV WR WKH HTXDOLW\ RI RXWFRPH PHQWLRQHG HDUOLHU 2 XWOLHUV HYHQ WKRVH RQ WKH H[FHSWLRQDO HQG DUH WUHDWHG DV DOLHQ :KHQ VWXGHQWV VHHN KHOS PRVW students are told by their parents and teachers to KDQGOH EXOO\LQJ WKHPVHOYHV Another aspect of recent Japanese life that could hinder those that are predisposed to Hikikomori is DGYDQFHG WHFKQRORJ\ &RXQWOHVV KRXUV FDQ EH VSHQW RQ WKH ,QWHUQHW RU SOD\LQJ YLGHR JDPHV ZKLOH KDYLQJ food delivered directly to your door, and rich parents XVXDOO\ DOORZ WKLV NLQG RI EHKDYLRU WR FRQWLQXH LQVWHDG RI DFNQRZOHGJLQJ WKDW WKHUH V D SUREOHP :DWWV 7KH SUHVVXUH RI -DSDQHVH VRFLHW\ WR VXFFHHG LV DOVR QRW WR EH RYHUORRNHG $ERXW \HDUV DJR WKHUH ZDV DQRWKHU FXOWXUDO GLVHDVH WKDW RFFXUUHG LQ -DSDQ karoshi RU GHDWK E\ RYHUZRUN.]