Hikikomori-Like Social Withdrawal Mediates the Relationship Between Autistic Traits and Pathological Video Game Use Among University Students

Barbara Carpita, Benedetta Nardi, Dario Muti, Simone Battaglini, Francesca Parri, Federico Giovannoni, Gianluca Cerofolini, Chiara Bonelli, Ivan Mirko Cremone, Gabriele Massimetti, Matteo Di Vincenzo, Stefano Pini, Enza Pellecchia, Andrea Fiorillo, Liliana Dell

International Journal of Social Psychiatry

Published online on February 26, 2026

Abstract

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, Ahead of Print.
Background:With the rise of immersive digital entertainment, concerns have grown around Video Gaming addiction (VGA) and its potential link to severe social withdrawal, such as hikikomori, especially in individuals with high autistic traits (ATs). While ...