by Harsimar Kang, Contributing Author
What do you spend your time on TikTok doing? Watching popular news clips? Maybe learning the newest dancing trends? What about learning about medical diagnoses?
A new article from Australasian Psychiatry examines TikTok as a source of information of ADHD, utilizing a search of #ADHDtest to categorize videos as either “useful” or “misleading” after a comparison of their content with the “Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale”. Their results demonstrate that out of 50 #adhdtest videos, 92% of them (46 total) were classified as misleading. They also stated that the videos classified as useful had minimal engagement with only 4% of total “likes.” Among the misleading videos, many were classified as “ASMR,” which is a non-clinical term that describes sensations in response to auditory, tactile and visual stimuli, such as someone whispering or tapping.
Misinformation on TikTok is not new. But the worry of misinformed videos on social media is that teenagers and young adults are diagnosing their own emotional and psychological concerns without actual correct information or intervention. A similar study was conducted in 2022 by the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, which classified 37% of analyzed ADHD-related TikTok videos as “misleading.”
These articles have widespread implications. Misinformation can lead to self-diagnosis, which can delay proper professional evaluation and treatment. In addition, psychologists have found that this online misinformation is particularly insidious as the influencers spreading inaccurate advice may have something financially to gain. People may want to sell you “supplements” after you get one of these positive ADHD tests online. When searing #adhdtest on TikTok, the first post on my page was a sponsored video regarding a Yerba Mate tea meant to treat ADHD. While this article is not meant to discredit the benefits that some readers may experience with Ayurvedic ingredients, it is important to note that this creator directly profits off sales of these supplements. In addition, primary ingredients of these teas, such as Mucuna pruriens, have not been well-studied in research trials. In fact, little is known of side effects and some sites caution against toxic liver and kidney effects.
The online misinformation also exposes the underlying issues of poor access to mental health practitioners for assessments or medications. While recommendations to increase a person’s access require larger policy and societal structure changes, there are smaller scale recommendations to be a critical consumer of health information. It is always important to check if online creators have financial gains from advertising certain information. TikTok usually indicates in the bottom left corner if a post is marked as “sponsored” when you watch it. For those of you who want to do further information on a medical condition online, some reputable sources include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and large hospital systems such as the Cleveland Clinic. Above all, scroll with caution to play your part in combating online myths.
References:
Abrams, Z. (2024a, May 9). Is it safe to get health advice from influencers? The answer is complicated. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/false-health-information
Abrams, Z. (2024b, November 6). Addressing misinformation about mental health with patients. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-mental-health
Verma, S., & Sinha, S. K. (2024). How evidence-based is the "hashtag ADHD test" (#adhdtest). A cross-sectional content analysis of TikTok videos on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) screening. Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, 10398562241291956. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10398562241291956
Yeung, A., Ng, E., & Abi-Jaoude, E. (2022). TikTok and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study of Social Media Content Quality. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 67(12), 899–906. https://doi.org/10.1177/07067437221082854
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