A double-edged hashtag: Evaluation of #ADHD-related TikTok content and its associations with perceptions of ADHD

Summary & key facts

Researchers analyzed the top 100 TikTok videos tagged #ADHD and asked 843 college students about their TikTok use and views of those videos. Two clinical psychologists rated the top 100 videos and found that fewer than half of the claims about ADHD symptoms matched the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Students who said they often watched ADHD TikToks were more likely to recommend both the best- and worst-rated videos and to estimate a higher rate of ADHD and greater challenges for people with ADHD.

Key facts:

• Study 1 reviewed the top 100 #ADHD TikTok videos; those videos together had nearly half a billion views.
• Two clinical psychologists with ADHD expertise judged the accuracy, nuance, and educational quality of the top 100 videos.
• Fewer than 50% of the claims about ADHD symptoms in those top 100 videos were judged to align with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
• Study 2 surveyed 843 undergraduate students: 224 reported no ADHD, 421 reported an ADHD self-diagnosis, and 198 reported a formal ADHD diagnosis.
• Students who reported a higher typical frequency of watching ADHD-related TikToks were more willing to recommend both the top 5 and bottom 5 psychologist-rated videos from Study 1, after statistical controls for demographics and ADHD diagno
• Higher typical viewing of ADHD-related TikToks was also linked to students estimating a higher population prevalence of ADHD and perceiving greater challenges faced by people with ADHD.
• The authors note a mismatch between mental health professionals’ ratings and young adults’ perceptions of how useful #ADHD TikTok content is for psychoeducation.

Abstract

We aimed to assess the psychoeducational quality of TikTok content about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from the perspective of both mental health professionals and young adults across two pre-registered studies. In Study 1, two clinical psychologists with expertise in ADHD evaluated the claims (accuracy, nuance, overall quality as psychoeducation material) made in the top 100 #ADHD TikTok videos. Despite the videos' immense popularity (collectively amassing nearly half a billion views), fewer than 50% of the claims about ADHD symptoms were judged to align with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In Study 2, 843 undergraduate students (no ADHD = 224, ADHD self-diagnosis = 421, ADHD formal diagnosis = 198) were asked about their typical frequency of viewing #ADHD content on TikTok and their perceptions of ADHD and were shown the top 5 and bottom 5 psychologist-rated videos from Study 1. A greater typical frequency of watching ADHD-related TikToks was linked to a greater willingness to recommend both the top and bottom-rated videos from Study 1, after controlling for demographics and ADHD diagnostic status. It was also linked to estimating a higher prevalence of ADHD in the general population and greater challenges faced by those with ADHD. Our findings highlight a discrepancy between mental health professionals and young adults regarding the psychoeducational value of #ADHD content on TikTok. Addressing this is crucial to improving access to treatment and enhancing support for those with ADHD.

Topics

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Digital Mental Health Interventions Impact of Technology on Adolescents

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Psychiatry and Mental health

Tags

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Clinical psychology Demographics Demography Environmental health Medicine Mental health Neuroscience Perception Popularity Population Psychiatry Psychoeducation Psychological intervention Psychology Social psychology Sociology