JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Social media platforms are increasingly used for both sharing and seeking of health-related information online. Especially TikTok has become one of the most widely used social networking platforms. One health-related topic trending on TikTok recently is Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, the accuracy of health-related information on TikTok remains a significant concern. Misleading information on ADHD on TikTok can increase stigmatization and lead to false “self-diagnosis”, pathologizing of normal behavior and overuse of care.

Objective:

This study aims at investigating the occurrence of misleading information in TikTok videos about ADHD and exploring potential self-diagnosis among viewers based on an in-depth analysis of the video comments.

Methods:

We assessed 50.4% of the videos as misleading, 30.4% as personal experience, and 19.2% as useful. The PEMAT-A/V scores for all videos for understandability and actionability are 79.5% and 5.1%, respectively. With a score of 92.3%, useful videos scored significantly higher for understandability than misleading and personal experience videos (P<.001). For actionability there was no statistically significant difference depending on the videos’ usefulness (P=.415). Viewers resonated with ADHD-related behaviors depicted in the videos in 220 out of 600 (36.7%) of the comments and with ADHD in 32 out of 600 (5.3%) of the comments. Self-attribution of behavioral patterns varied significantly, depending on the usefulness of the videos, with personal experience videos showing the most comments on self-attribution of behavioral patterns (102/600, 17% of comments, P<.001). For self-attribution of ADHD, we found no significant difference depending on the usefulness of the videos (P=.359).

Results:

We assessed 51% of the videos as misleading, 30% as personal experience, and 19% as useful. The PEMAT-A/V scores for understandability and actionability are 79.5% and 5.1%, respectively, with the highest scores observed for useful videos (92.3% for understandability, 8.3% for actionability). Viewers resonated with ADHD-related behaviours depicted in the videos in 36.7% and with ADHD in 5.3% of the comments. The self-attribution of behavioural patterns varied significantly, depending on the usefulness of the videos, with personal experience videos showing the most comments on self-attribution of behavioural patterns (102/600, 17% of comments, P<.001). For the self-attribution of ADHD, we found no significant difference depending on the usefulness of the videos (P=.359).

Conclusions:

The high number of misleading videos on ADHD on TikTok and the high percentage of users who self-identify with the symptoms and behaviors presented in these videos, can potentially increase misdiagnosis. This highlights the need to critically evaluate health information on social media and for healthcare professionals to address misconceptions arising from these platforms.