Much of the popular ADHD content on TikTok contains misinformation, UBC study finds
CBC
Much ADHD content on TikTok is inaccurate, and this has potentially influenced how young adults perceive the disorder, according to a recent UBC study.
The study analyzed the 100 most viewed TikToks related to ADHD and found less than half the claims about symptoms actually align with clinical guidelines for diagnosing the disorder.
And it found those who consumed more ADHD-related content were more likely to recommend the videos to others — and to overestimate the prevalence and severity of ADHD in the general population.
"Most of them come from a really good place," said Vasilea Karasavva, a PhD student at UBC who led the study.
"But words have power. When you have a platform, you yield a certain amount of power, and you have to be a little careful about that."
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that can make people hyperactive, inattentive or a combination of the two, and it affects approximately four to six per cent of adults, according to the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada.
Karasavva said many people turn to TikTok for information because receiving a diagnosis in the health-care system can be challenging.
And she said TikTok can be a useful tool to provide this information — if it is accurate.
"In many ways, social media has democratized access to information about mental health," said Karasavva.
Karasavva said she and the other researchers were surprised to find certain behaviours being attributed as signs of ADHD on TikTok, such as having a sweet tooth, liking certain TV shows or bumping into objects.
They were also surprised to find about half of the commenters they looked at stood to make financial gains from posting about ADHD — often engaging in brand deals to sell items such as fidget spinners, work books, or supplements.
"The goal of a lot of those creators might not be 100 per cent to educate them. . . But more so to describe their own personal experience and be funny and quirky and entertaining."
Karasavva says her key takeaway of the study is not for people to stop using social media to talk about mental health, but rather to caution users to fact-check information they find online.
Karasavva also recommends creators indicate that their personal experiences may not apply to everyone with ADHD and be wary of brand deals offered to them.
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