JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

TikTok has emerged as a significant source of mental health-related content, including discussions on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). While the app fosters community building, its algorithm also amplifies misinformation, particularly as influencers without relevant expertise often dominate conversations about SSRIs. These videos frequently highlight personal experiences, potentially overshadowing evidence-based information from healthcare professionals. Despite these concerns, TikTok holds potential as a tool for improving mental health literacy when used by professionals to provide credible information.

Objective:

This study examines TikTok videos on SSRIs, hypothesizing that content will predominantly emphasize negative experiences and that videos by non-medical professionals will attract higher engagement. By analyzing content creators, engagement metrics, and video tone, this study aims to shed light on social media’s role in shaping perceptions of SSRIs and mental health literacy.

Methods:

: A sample of 99 TikTok videos was collected on December 8, 2024. Apify, a web scraper, was used to compile pertinent engagement metrics (video URLs, likes, comments, and shares). Views were manually recorded. The overall video and content tones were evaluated by three reviewers and documented in Qualtrics. The user profiles of each video creator were analyzed to classify them as either a “medical professional” or “non-medical professional” based on verification of their credentialling. Statical analyses were run to evaluate the hypotheses.

Results:

There was a roughly even number of TikTok videos created by both non-medical professionals and medical professionals. Approximately one third (35%) of videos reviewed mentioned a specific SSRI (i.e. fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, vilazodone, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, or escitalopram). Among TikTok videos discussing SSRI use, 31% mentioned specific symptoms, with negative effects more frequently cited than positive ones. Compared to medical professionals, non-medical creators produced more positively toned content, received greater overall engagement, and demonstrated similar rates of expressed medical distrust, though daily interaction metrics did not differ significantly.

Conclusions:

The results showed that while both groups of creators focused on negative side effects and experiences with SSRIs, the way they presented this information differed. Medical professionals generally maintained a neutral video tone, whereas non-medical professionals were more likely to adopt a positive video tone. This may explain why videos made by non-medical professionals had significantly more cumulative views, likes, and comments than videos made by medical professionals. These findings are consistent with other research suggesting that the TikTok algorithm and users are more likely to favor and engage with videos that evoke a strong emotional response and are perceived as relatable to viewers. The findings in this study highlight the need for medical professionals to improve their approach to content creation on TikTok by utilizing a more positive video tone to increase engagement.