Development of a Mental Health Support Model for Socially Isolated and Reclusive Youth: A Comparison with Japan and the United States

The purpose of this study is to examine support policies and mental health service support cases for socially isolated and reclusive youth in Japan and the United States, with the aim of proposing policy directions for mental health support for socially isolated youth that can be applied domestically. To achieve this, the study conducted theoretical discussions on mental health service support cases for socially isolated and reclusive youth in Japan and the United States, utilized the Maximum Similarity System Development (MSSD) technique for comparative analysis, and presented implications for the development of domestic mental health policies and support service models for socially isolated and reclusive youth. The results suggest that, like Japan, there is a need for the central government, provincial and local governments, and regional support centers to work together to provide mental health counseling and program support. Additionally, like the United States, there is a need for extensive interdisciplinary cooperation between public institutions and private organizations. Furthermore, it is proposed that the positive term “opportunity youth” be used to emphasize the importance of opportunities for young people.