TikTok Misinformation May Distort ADHD Perceptions

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https://neurosciencenews.com/tiktok-adhd-psychology-28496/

March 19, 2025

Summary: A new study found that popular ADHD-related content on TikTok often misaligns with clinical guidelines, potentially influencing how young adults perceive the disorder. Researchers analyzed the top 100 ADHD videos and found that less than half of the claims matched professional diagnostic criteria.

Young adults who consumed more of this content were more likely to overestimate ADHD symptoms and recommend videos with misleading information. Experts emphasize the need for mental health professionals to engage in social media discussions to ensure accurate, evidence-based resources reach viewers.

Key Facts:

● Widespread Misinformation: Less than 50% of ADHD claims on TikTok align with clinical guidelines.

● Impact on Perception: Frequent TikTok viewers tend to overestimate ADHD symptoms.

● Expert Engagement Needed: Mental health professionals can help counteract misinformation.

Source: University of British Columbia

The most popular ADHD-related content on TikTok often does not match mental health professionals’ views, potentially influencing how young adults perceive the disorder, a new University of B.C. study has found.

An analysis of the 100 most-viewed TikTok videos related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) revealed that fewer than half the claims regarding symptoms made in those videos actually align with clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD.

"TikTok can be an incredible tool for raising awareness and reducing stigma, but it also has a downside,” said Vasileia Karasavva, lead author of the study published today in PLOS One and a PhD student in clinical psychology.

“Anecdotes and personal experiences are powerful, but when they lack context, they can lead to misunderstandings about ADHD and mental health in general.”

In the videos, many TikTok creators shared personal experiences without indicating that they don’t necessarily apply to everyone with ADHD, and might even occur for people who don’t have the disorder. This lack of nuance may lead viewers to misinterpret symptoms or incorrectly diagnose themselves.

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed in childhood, and often continues into adulthood​. It is characterized by having difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour. It is estimated to affect about three to seven percent of adults worldwide.

■ How TikTok influences perceptions

The study found that the more ADHD-related TikTok content a young adult consumes, the more likely they are to overestimate both the prevalence and severity of ADHD symptoms in the general population. Participants who watched more of this content were also more likely to recommend the videos—despite the unreliability of the information.

Researchers had two clinical psychologists evaluate the top 100 most-viewed TikTok videos under the hashtag #ADHD for accuracy, nuance and overall quality. Then, 843 undergraduate students were surveyed about their TikTok habits and asked to rate 10 videos: the five highest-rated and five lowest-rated by the psychologists.

The results showed a clear difference in how each group assessed the content:

○ Clinical psychologists gave the more accurate ADHD videos an average rating of 3.6 out of five, while young adults gave them 2.8.

○ The psychologists rated the least reliable videos at 1.1 out of five. Young adults rated them significantly higher at 2.3.

This suggests that misinformation may be slipping through unnoticed by most young people.

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By providing expert-backed content, they could help counter misinformation and ensure young people have access to reliable resources. Credit: Neuroscience News