R&D PROJECTS
Clarification of Generation Process of Social Isolation and Developing the Intervention Program for Social Isolation Towards Healthy “Personal Independence”
Principal Investigator: TACHIKAWA Hirokazu
Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba
Social isolation/loneliness, experience of loss, stigma, preventative education, “healthy isolation”
R&D Period: 2021.11–2026.3
researchmapProject Overview
The definitions of social isolation and loneliness and psychological processes leading to health crises remain vague
Social isolation and loneliness—appearing in such forms as truancy and social reclusion in adolescence and beyond, the “80-50 problem” in middle age, and dying alone—are often discussed as negative social problems affecting all generations, but how to define them remains unclear. It should also be noted that social isolation is, in itself, a phenomenon that inevitably occurs with technological development and changes in family systems and the social structure, yet the psychological processes that lead to loneliness and health crises are similarly ambiguous. Additionally, the characteristics of people who are socially isolated yet continue to live healthy lives without a health crisis have not been clarified.
Creating a “healthy isolation”-oriented society in which individuals can lead creative lives
To get a grasp of the mechanisms of social isolation and loneliness, we will conduct a large-scale survey on the psychological characteristics of socially isolated people and on how such people are viewed by members of the general public and support providers. In addition, we will attempt to ascertain the processes behind the occurrence and exacerbation of social isolation by focusing on the experience of losing one’s sense of belonging and conducting interviews with socially isolated people. Based on our findings, we will conduct psychological experiments to measure the risk of worsening isolation and loneliness and develop an app to facilitate early detection. The main project members are organizations that are routinely involved in prevention and support activities related to social isolation and loneliness. We will also build a system to operate the project in cooperation with local governments and to develop and test prevention programs. Through the project, we will aim to create a “healthy isolation”-oriented society in which individuals can lead healthy and creative lives by expanding researcher-support provider networks and providing refined primary social-isolation prevention programs for community residents.
Q&A
- Please tell us more about the social vision this project aims to achieve for the primary prevention of social isolation and loneliness.
- Today, there are fewer and fewer “nuclear family” households and more single-person households, and thus conditions are such that everyone can experience social isolation and loneliness. In undertaking this project, we believe that not all forms of social isolation and loneliness lead to social life crises or health problems. Accordingly, we aim to create a “healthy isolation”-oriented society in which individuals learn ways of avoiding social isolation and loneliness that leads to maladjustment, and in which individuals can lead fulfilling lives, even when isolated from each other, and acquire skills allowing them to seek assistance when needed.
- What are the biggest challenges (bottlenecks) in achieving the social vision above?
- We believe the biggest questions are how to develop the preventive education program we plan to implement as a primary social-isolation prevention program, and whether it is feasible to implement the program in junior high schools and other such educational programs. Additionally, given that the preventive education program we envision in the project will target a wide range of people, another question we must tackle is what kind of standard to use to measure the program’s effectiveness once it is implemented.
Participating/Cooperating Institutions
- University of Tsukuba, Toyo Gakuen University, Tohoku University, Hirosaki University, Tokyo Kasei University, Kasama City (Ibaraki Prefecture), Ibaraki Prefectural Medical Center of Psychiatry, Humber College, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Karolinska Institutet, and others
Press Release
- “How Do Social Networks, Perception of Social Isolation, and Loneliness Affect Depressive Symptoms among Japanese Adults?”
- Loneliness has a strong impact on suicidal ideation among Japanese during the COVID-19 pandemic
Report
FY2021
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Tackling Loneliness and Social Isolation Using Crisis Chat and Text Services
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Building Community-based “Anywhere Door”-type Hybrid Care Networks
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Clarification of Generation Process of Social Isolation and Developing the Intervention Program for Social Isolation Towards Healthy “Personal Independence”
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Analysis of the Process of Loneliness and Isolation in the Workplace: Toward the Development of a Comprehensive Prevention Program
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Prevention of Isolation and Loneliness through Fostering Compassionate Community Using Theatrical Methods
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Loneliness in New Life: Visualization of Risks and Primary Prevention
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Developing a School-centered System to Prevent Social Isolation, Loneliness and Exclusion of All Children
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- R&D PROJECTS
- Clarification of Generation Process of Social Isolation and Developing the Intervention Program for Social Isolation Towards Healthy “Personal Independence”