An analysis by the MUSA research group at CNR-IRPPS shows a sharp increase in the number of adolescents who no longer meet their friends outside of school: the figures have nearly doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, demonstrates that the increase in social isolation in Italy constitutes a serious problem, already chronic and correlated with the interaction of relational and psychological factors

A study conducted by the multidisciplinary research group “Social Change, Evaluation and Methods” (MUSA) of the Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies of the National Research Council in Rome (CNR-IRPPS) investigated, through a socio-psychological research approach, the etiology of social withdrawal, identifying the triggering factors of such behavior among adolescents.

The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports of the Nature group, was based on data from two cross-sectional surveys conducted by the group in 2019 and 2022 on students from public upper secondary schools using the CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) technique and on nationally representative samples consisting of 3,273 and 4,288 adolescents aged 14 to 19 years, respectively. Through advanced statistical modeling techniques, three profiles of adolescents were identified: “social butterflies,” “friend-centric” and “lone wolves“: within this last profile, a subgroup was identified consisting of adolescents who no longer meet their friends outside of school, whose number has nearly doubled since the pandemic, rising from 5.6% in 2019 to 9.7% in 2022. These are the socially withdrawn.

“Previous studies by our research group had already clarified the causes of some negative effects of the change in social interactions accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated the transposition of human relationships into the virtual sphere,” explains Antonio Tintori, among the authors of the work together with Loredana Cerbara and Giulia Ciancimino of the MUSA research group at CNR-IRPPS. “It was seen in particular that hyperconnection, i.e., overexposure to social media, plays a primary role in this corrosive process of adolescent interaction and identity and subsequently of individual psychological well-being. Hyperconnection is primarily responsible for both self-isolation and the explosion of youth suicidal ideation. The study shows that not only have young people who limit themselves to school attendance alone in their lives drastically increased from 2019 to 2022, but also in the adolescent world the habit of spending free time face-to-face with friends has significantly decreased: “lone wolves” have even tripled in 3 years, rising from 15% to 39.4%.”

Although slightly more prevalent among girls, the phenomenon affects both sexes and shows no substantial regional differences, nor differences related to the type of school attended or the family’s socio-cultural and economic background, as previously assumed. This clearly indicates that the problem is becoming global and endemic.

What do these young people have in common? Poor quality of social relationships (with parents, particularly with the mother), low relational trust (toward family members and teachers), victimization from cyberbullying and bullying, hyperconnection to social media, low participation in extracurricular sports activities, and dissatisfaction with one’s body. “These factors, further fueled by the pervasive influence of social pressures to conform to unattainable standards, including aesthetic ones, erode self-esteem, fostering a sense of inadequacy in social interactions with peers,” adds Tintori. “We have also found that those already in a state of social withdrawal show more moderate use of social media: this opens the hypothesis that, as the time of physical isolation increases, one gradually disconnects from virtual interactions as well, i.e., one moves toward total renunciation of sociality.”

The phenomenon, comparable to that of hikikomori in Japan, could generate a genuine social emergency: “Our study, in addition to providing useful results for understanding the nature of the problem, highlights the urgency of educational and training interventions directed at parents and teachers, as well as support for young people, namely specific support for adolescents in the most critical conditions,” concludes the researcher.

The MUSA research group at CNR-IRPPS, among the first to investigate the phenomenon of social withdrawal, is now continuing its activities by launching a large-scale longitudinal survey aimed at answering still-open questions and further clarifying the factors in the process leading to self-isolation. The survey, called “Interactional Changes and Well-being,” will involve thousands of adolescent students from schools over five years, allowing detailed analysis of young people’s behavioral development in interaction modalities and other important aspects related to socio-psychological well-being.

The study benefited from the collaboration of Gianni Corsetti from ISTAT.

See the full article Cerbara, L., Ciancimino, G., Corsetti, G. et al. Self-isolation of adolescents after Covid-19 pandemic between social withdrawal and Hikikomori risk in Italy. Sci Rep 15, 1995 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84187-5

Researcher Antonio Tintori, author of the article published in the journal Social Sciences, discusses this together with Giulia Ciancimino and Loredana Cerbara from the MUSA research group at CNR-IRPPS.

The study analyzes data from two representative cross-sectional surveys conducted among Italian adolescents in 2019 and 2022, within the framework of the Youth Trends Observatory. The study examines changes in social media screen time, identifies the main socio-demographic predictors of hyperconnection, and explores its effects on young people’s relational and psychological well-being.

The findings reveal the profound impact of the pandemic on daily social media use, showing a significant increase across all social groups, regardless of socio-demographic characteristics, with girls displaying higher levels of hyperconnection. Furthermore, the results indicate that hyperconnected individuals are 1.4 times more likely to experience negative psychological states compared to their peers. The effects of hyperconnection vary by gender, affecting both horizontal and vertical social interactions, reducing trust in adult figures, increasing the likelihood of victimization from cyberbullying, phubbing, and body image concerns, and fostering the belief that online relationships can replace offline ones. Overall, the study highlights the urgent need for more effective prevention, awareness, and education strategies targeting educators, parents, and adolescents.

The full article is available in open access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/9/470