Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China: Cross-Sectional Web Survey
Lucia Lin Liu, Tim M.H. Li, Alan R. Teo, Takahiro A. Kato, Paul W.C. Wong
Background: Socially withdrawn youth belong to an emerging subgroup of youth who are not in employment, education, or training and who have limited social interaction intention and opportunities. The use of the internet and social media is expected to be an alternative and feasible way to reach this group of young people because of their reclusive nature. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of using various social media platforms to investigate the existence of the phenomenon of youth social withdrawal in 3 major cities in China. Methods: A cross-sectional open Web survey was conducted from October 2015 to May 2016 to identify and reach socially withdrawn youth in 3 metropolitan cities in China: Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. To advertise the survey, 3 social media platforms were used: Weibo, WeChat, and Wandianba, a social networking gaming website. Results: In total, 137 participants completed the survey, among whom 13 (9.5%) were identified as belonging to the withdrawal group, 7 (5.1%) to the asocial group, and 9 (6.6%) to the hikikomori group (both withdrawn and asocial for more than 3 months). The cost of recruitment via Weibo was US $7.27 per participant. Conclusions: Several social media platforms in China are viable and inexpensive tools to reach socially withdrawn youth, and internet platforms that specialize in a certain culture or type of entertainment appeared to be more effective in reaching socially withdrawn youth.
JMIR Mental Health
https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8509
Web survey
Youth social issues
10.2196/mental.8509
Dive into the research topics of 'Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China: Cross-Sectional Web Survey'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Social Media Medicine & Life Sciences 100%
China Medicine & Life Sciences 65%
Social Networking Medicine & Life Sciences 15%
Beijing Medicine & Life Sciences 15%
Interpersonal Relations Medicine & Life Sciences 14%
Intention Medicine & Life Sciences 12%
Liu, L. L., Li, T. M. H., Teo, A. R., Kato, T. A., & Wong, P. W. C. (2018). Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China: Cross-Sectional Web Survey. JMIR Mental Health, 5(2), [e34]. https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8509
Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China : Cross-Sectional Web Survey. / Liu, Lucia Lin; Li, Tim M.H.; Teo, Alan R.; Kato, Takahiro A.; Wong, Paul W.C.
In: JMIR Mental Health, Vol. 5, No. 2, e34, 01.04.2018.
Liu, LL, Li, TMH, Teo, AR, Kato, TA & Wong, PWC 2018, 'Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China: Cross-Sectional Web Survey', JMIR Mental Health, vol. 5, no. 2, e34. https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8509
Liu LL, Li TMH, Teo AR, Kato TA, Wong PWC. Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China: Cross-Sectional Web Survey. JMIR Mental Health. 2018 Apr 1;5(2). e34. https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8509
Liu, Lucia Lin ; Li, Tim M.H. ; Teo, Alan R. ; Kato, Takahiro A. ; Wong, Paul W.C. / Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China : Cross-Sectional Web Survey. In: JMIR Mental Health. 2018 ; Vol. 5, No. 2.
@article{fd7a3e06285b4265aeab7ad3c909fa4d,
title = "Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China: Cross-Sectional Web Survey",
abstract = "Background: Socially withdrawn youth belong to an emerging subgroup of youth who are not in employment, education, or training and who have limited social interaction intention and opportunities. The use of the internet and social media is expected to be an alternative and feasible way to reach this group of young people because of their reclusive nature. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of using various social media platforms to investigate the existence of the phenomenon of youth social withdrawal in 3 major cities in China. Methods: A cross-sectional open Web survey was conducted from October 2015 to May 2016 to identify and reach socially withdrawn youth in 3 metropolitan cities in China: Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. To advertise the survey, 3 social media platforms were used: Weibo, WeChat, and Wandianba, a social networking gaming website. Results: In total, 137 participants completed the survey, among whom 13 (9.5%) were identified as belonging to the withdrawal group, 7 (5.1%) to the asocial group, and 9 (6.6%) to the hikikomori group (both withdrawn and asocial for more than 3 months). The cost of recruitment via Weibo was US $7.27 per participant. Conclusions: Several social media platforms in China are viable and inexpensive tools to reach socially withdrawn youth, and internet platforms that specialize in a certain culture or type of entertainment appeared to be more effective in reaching socially withdrawn youth.",
keywords = "Adolescent, China, Hikikomori, Social withdrawal, Web survey, Youth social issues",
author = "Liu, {Lucia Lin} and Li, {Tim M.H.} and Teo, {Alan R.} and Kato, {Takahiro A.} and Wong, {Paul W.C.}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 JMIR Mental Health. All rights reserved.",
doi = "10.2196/mental.8509",
journal = "JMIR Mental Health",
publisher = "JMIR Publications Inc.",
T1 - Harnessing social media to explore youth social withdrawal in three major cities in China
T2 - Cross-Sectional Web Survey
AU - Liu, Lucia Lin
AU - Li, Tim M.H.
AU - Teo, Alan R.
AU - Kato, Takahiro A.
AU - Wong, Paul W.C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2018 JMIR Mental Health. All rights reserved.
N2 - Background: Socially withdrawn youth belong to an emerging subgroup of youth who are not in employment, education, or training and who have limited social interaction intention and opportunities. The use of the internet and social media is expected to be an alternative and feasible way to reach this group of young people because of their reclusive nature. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of using various social media platforms to investigate the existence of the phenomenon of youth social withdrawal in 3 major cities in China. Methods: A cross-sectional open Web survey was conducted from October 2015 to May 2016 to identify and reach socially withdrawn youth in 3 metropolitan cities in China: Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. To advertise the survey, 3 social media platforms were used: Weibo, WeChat, and Wandianba, a social networking gaming website. Results: In total, 137 participants completed the survey, among whom 13 (9.5%) were identified as belonging to the withdrawal group, 7 (5.1%) to the asocial group, and 9 (6.6%) to the hikikomori group (both withdrawn and asocial for more than 3 months). The cost of recruitment via Weibo was US $7.27 per participant. Conclusions: Several social media platforms in China are viable and inexpensive tools to reach socially withdrawn youth, and internet platforms that specialize in a certain culture or type of entertainment appeared to be more effective in reaching socially withdrawn youth.
AB - Background: Socially withdrawn youth belong to an emerging subgroup of youth who are not in employment, education, or training and who have limited social interaction intention and opportunities. The use of the internet and social media is expected to be an alternative and feasible way to reach this group of young people because of their reclusive nature. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of using various social media platforms to investigate the existence of the phenomenon of youth social withdrawal in 3 major cities in China. Methods: A cross-sectional open Web survey was conducted from October 2015 to May 2016 to identify and reach socially withdrawn youth in 3 metropolitan cities in China: Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. To advertise the survey, 3 social media platforms were used: Weibo, WeChat, and Wandianba, a social networking gaming website. Results: In total, 137 participants completed the survey, among whom 13 (9.5%) were identified as belonging to the withdrawal group, 7 (5.1%) to the asocial group, and 9 (6.6%) to the hikikomori group (both withdrawn and asocial for more than 3 months). The cost of recruitment via Weibo was US $7.27 per participant. Conclusions: Several social media platforms in China are viable and inexpensive tools to reach socially withdrawn youth, and internet platforms that specialize in a certain culture or type of entertainment appeared to be more effective in reaching socially withdrawn youth.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Hikikomori
KW - Social withdrawal
KW - Web survey
KW - Youth social issues
U2 - 10.2196/mental.8509
DO - 10.2196/mental.8509
JO - JMIR Mental Health
JF - JMIR Mental Health
M1 - e34