TikTok and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study of Social Media Content Quality

Summary & key facts

Researchers analyzed the 100 most-viewed English TikTok videos with the hashtag #adhd (searched July 18, 2021). They found that 52 videos (52%) were misleading, 27 (27%) were personal stories, and 21 (21%) were judged useful. Overall, videos were easy to understand but gave little practical advice. Non-healthcare creators uploaded most of the misleading videos, while healthcare providers tended to post higher-quality, more useful content. The authors noted clinicians should be aware of widespread ADHD information on social media and its possible effects on care.

Key facts:

• The study looked at the top 100 English TikTok videos for #adhd, collected on July 18, 2021.
• 52 out of 100 videos (52%) were classified as misleading by clinician raters.
• 27 out of 100 videos (27%) were classified as personal experience videos.
• 21 out of 100 videos (21%) were classified as useful and containing scientifically correct ADHD information.
• Rater agreement on video classification was 86%, with a kappa statistic of 0.7766.
• Videos scored high for understandability but low for actionability using the PEMAT-A/V assessment tool.
• Non-healthcare providers uploaded the majority of misleading videos, while healthcare providers uploaded higher-quality and more useful videos.
• The study used JAMA benchmark criteria and PEMAT-A/V to assess information quality, understandability, and actionability.

Abstract

Approximately half of the analyzed TikTok videos about ADHD were misleading. Clinicians should be aware of the widespread dissemination of health misinformation on social media platforms and its potential impact on clinical care.

Topics

Digital Mental Health Interventions Health Literacy and Information Accessibility Mobile Health and mHealth Applications

Categories

General Health Professions Health Professions Health Sciences

Tags

Computer science Computer security Economic growth Economics Epistemology Health care Internet privacy Medical education Medicine Mental health Misinformation Philosophy Psychiatry Psychology Quality (philosophy) Social media Upload World Wide Web

Conditions & symptoms

ADHD Difficulty focusing