{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,15]],"date-time":"2026-06-15T16:57:53Z","timestamp":1781542673962,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,23]],"date-time":"2025-05-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747958400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Transcult Psychiatry"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>In Japan, people who indulge in animation, comics, and games are commonly referred to as \u201cotaku.\u201d Despite the prevalent stereotype associating otaku with socially maladaptive characteristics, empirical studies on this topic are limited. Previous studies suggest two consistent aspects of otaku: a tendency towards pessimism and excessive internet use. Moreover, research suggests that addictive internet use is associated with pessimistic cognition. For this reason, this study examined the distinguishing characteristics of internet dependence among Japanese otaku. Assuming various content within \u201cPathological Internet Use (PIU)\u201d specific to otaku, we investigated whether a lack of adaptive cognition and social support predicted \u201cgeneralized PIU\u201d and whether a lack of adaptive cognition predicted otaku-specific PIU specifically in otaku-characterized individuals. We administered an online questionnaire to 1,115 respondents, who were categorized into otaku and non-otaku groups based on their responses. The results revealed significant inclination among otaku towards stronger PIU and maladaptive cognition, along with lower reported social support. In the multiple regression analysis among otaku, maladaptive cognition emerged as a significant predictor of otaku-specific PIU, and the analysis suggested a stronger association between internet-related maladaptive cognition and overall PIU, distinguishing otaku from non-otaku. In addition, while lower levels of social support did not predict Social Networking Service (SNS) addiction among non-otaku, SNS addiction among otaku was predicted by low degree of support from family members and online friends whom they had not met in person.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/13634615251321995","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,23]],"date-time":"2025-05-23T04:14:07Z","timestamp":1747973647000},"page":"652-666","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["The distinct internet addiction of otaku with maladaptive cognition and social support"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"62","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8384-887X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Naohiko","family":"Yamagami","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Tsukuba"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tamaki","family":"Saito","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Tsukuba"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yasukazu","family":"Ogai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Tsukuba"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nobuaki","family":"Morita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Tsukuba"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_3_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.78.4.772"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12144-020-00697-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_4_1","unstructured":"Asaba M. (1991). Tenshi no \u014dkoku: \u201cotaku\u201d no rinri no tameni [The kingdom of angels: For the ethics of Otaku]. JICC shuppankyoku. (The title is translated by the author of this article)."},{"key":"e_1_3_3_5_1","volume-title":"D\u014dbutsuka suru postmodern: Otaku kara mita nihonsyakai [Animalized postmodern: Japanese society in light of Otaku]","author":"Azuma H.","year":"2001","unstructured":"Azuma H. (2001). D\u014dbutsuka suru postmodern: Otaku kara mita nihonsyakai [Animalized postmodern: Japanese society in light of Otaku]. Kodansha. (The title is translated by the author of this article)."},{"key":"e_1_3_3_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0747-5632(02)00004-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2010.03.012"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0747-5632(00)00041-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/00048670903282725"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/03623319.2021.1884775"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4992\/jjpsy.80.494"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.adolescence.2003.10.002"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.adolescence.2003.10.007"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_14_1","unstructured":"Harada Y. (2015). Shin otaku keizai: 3 ch\u014den shijo no chikaku daihend\u014d [An emerging Otaku economy: Tectonism with a \u00a53 trillion market]. Asahi Shimbun Publications. 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Scandinavian Journal of Statistics, 6(2), 65\u201370.","journal-title":"Scandinavian Journal of Statistics"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_17_1","first-page":"280","article-title":"Influential persons in personality development","volume":"52","author":"Ieshima A.","year":"2006","unstructured":"Ieshima A. (2006). Influential persons in personality development. Kyoto University Research Studies in Education, 52, 280\u2013293. (In Japanese with English abstract).","journal-title":"Kyoto University Research Studies in Education"},{"issue":"6","key":"e_1_3_3_18_1","first-page":"26","article-title":"Development of a Japanese version of multidimensional scale of perceived social support, and examination of its validity and reliability","volume":"54","author":"Iwasa H.","year":"2007","unstructured":"Iwasa H., Gondo Y., Masui Y., Inagaki H., Kawai C., \u014ctsuka R., Ogawa M., Takayama M., Imuta H., Suzuki T. (2007). Development of a Japanese version of multidimensional scale of perceived social support, and examination of its validity and reliability. Journal of Health and Welfare Statistics, 54(6), 26\u201333. (In Japanese).","journal-title":"Journal of Health and Welfare Statistics"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_3_3_19_1","first-page":"31","article-title":"Social media paradox: Social media reduce friends relationship and psychological well-being","volume":"3","author":"Kawai D.","year":"2014","unstructured":"Kawai D. (2014). Social media paradox: Social media reduce friends relationship and psychological well-being. The Society of Socio-Informatics, 3(1), 31\u201346. 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(In Japanese with English abstract).","journal-title":"Nihon syakai jouh\u014d gakkai zenkoku taikai kenky\u016b happy\u014d ronbunsy\u016b [The Journal Of Congress Presentation Of The Japanese Society of Socio-Informatics"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_21_1","first-page":"63","article-title":"Otaku stereotypes and social skills","volume":"34","author":"Kikuchi S.","year":"2000","unstructured":"Kikuchi S. (2000). Otaku stereotypes and social skills. Studies in humanities. Human Sciences (Shinsh\u016b Unversity), 34, 63\u201377. (In Japanese).","journal-title":"Studies in humanities. 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In Proceedings of the inaugural Fun \u2018n\u2019 Games Conference (pp. 71\u201378)."},{"key":"e_1_3_3_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15213260802669458"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.childyouth.2013.05.021"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0142200"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/appy.12122"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/cpb.2005.8.110"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/mar.20558"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_31_1","volume-title":"Otaku shij\u014d no kenky\u016b [The research of the Otaku markets]","author":"Nomura s\u014dg\u014d kenky\u016bjo otaku shij\u014d yosoku team","year":"2005","unstructured":"Nomura s\u014dg\u014d kenky\u016bjo otaku shij\u014d yosoku team. (2005). Otaku shij\u014d no kenky\u016b [The research of the Otaku markets]. Toyo Keizai. 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Nozomu; \u201cIkikata Model\u201d no genzai [They wish; The current situation of \u201cmodel of lifestyle\u201d]. Child Study; A Journal of Parent Education, 49(12), 127\u2013130. (The title is translated by the author of this article).","journal-title":"Child Study; A Journal of Parent Education"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_35_1","volume-title":"Fukan\u014dsei no jidai [The era of impossibility]","author":"\u014csawa M.","year":"2008","unstructured":"\u014csawa M. (2008). Fukan\u014dsei no jidai [The era of impossibility]. Iwanami shoten. (The title is translated by the author of this article)."},{"key":"e_1_3_3_36_1","volume-title":"Kas\u014d genjitsu hihy\u014d: Sy\u014dhi syakai ha owaranai [The criticism against the virtual reality: Consumerism won\u2019t end]","author":"\u014ctsuka E.","year":"1992","unstructured":"\u014ctsuka E. (1992). Kas\u014d genjitsu hihy\u014d: Sy\u014dhi syakai ha owaranai [The criticism against the virtual reality: Consumerism won\u2019t end]. Shinyosha. 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The process of narrating comics or animations to others. Journal of Japanese Clinical Psychology, 28(1), 16\u201327. (In Japanese with English abstract).","journal-title":"Journal of Japanese Clinical Psychology"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_40_1","first-page":"205","article-title":"Self-Disclosure in the university and on the internet: Relation with maladjustment tendency, personal traits, and internet usage time","volume":"63","author":"Tabuchi Y.","year":"2013","unstructured":"Tabuchi Y., Norisada Y. (2013). Self-Disclosure in the university and on the internet: Relation with maladjustment tendency, personal traits, and internet usage time. Bulletin of the Faculty of Education, Wakayama University. Humanities Science, 63, 205\u2013213. (In Japanese).","journal-title":"Bulletin of the Faculty of Education, Wakayama University. Humanities Science"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_41_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"What is otaku impression?: Interrelation between otaku categories and impression toward otaku","volume":"16","author":"Takada H.","year":"2020","unstructured":"Takada H., Kikuchi M., Yun S. (2020). What is otaku impression?: Interrelation between otaku categories and impression toward otaku. Mejiro Journal of Psychology, 16, 1\u201313. (In Japanese with English abstract).","journal-title":"Mejiro Journal of Psychology"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/109493103321640338"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1155\/2014\/425924"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_44_1","first-page":"219","article-title":"Otaku kenky\u016b no h\u014dh\u014dron to ry\u016biten [The methodology and guide for otaku study]","volume":"31","author":"Yamagami N.","year":"2021","unstructured":"Yamagami N. (2021). 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