Latest news with #Karasavva
The Star
a day ago
- Health
- The Star
Too good to be true ADHD videos on TikTok are often misleading, US study finds.
On TikTok, misinformation about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be tricky to spot, according to a new study, published this month in the scientic journal PLOS One (published by Public Library of Science, based in California, the United States), found that fewer than 50% of the claims made in some of the most popular ADHD videos on TikTok offered information that matched diagnostic criteria or professional treatment recommendations for the disorder. And, the researchers found, even study participants who had already been diagnosed with ADHD had trouble discerning which information was most reliable. About half of the TikTok creators included in the study were using the platform to sell products, such as fidget spinners, or services like coaching. None of them were licensed mental health professionals. The lack of nuance is concerning, said Vasileia Karasavva, a doctoral student in clinical psychology at Canada's University of British Columbia in Vancouver and the lead author of the study. If TikTok creators talk about difficulty concentrating, she added, they don't typically mention that the symptom is not specific to ADHD or that it could also be a manifestation of a different mental disorder, like depression or anxiety. Just because a video or post goes viral doesn't mean it is accurate. "The last thing we want to do is discourage people from expressing how they're feeling, what they're experiencing and finding community online," Karasavva said. "At the same time, it might be that you self-diagnose with something that doesn't apply to you, and then you don't get the help that you actually need." Karasavva's results echo those of a 2022 study that also analysed 100 popular TikTok videos about ADHD and found that half of them were misleading. "The data are alarming," said Stephen P. Hinshaw, a professor of psychology and an expert in ADHD at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in either study. The themes of the videos might easily resonate with viewers, he added, but "accurate diagnosis takes access, time and money." In Karasavva's study, the researchers began by selecting the 100 most viewed videos on a single day in January 2023 and asked two licensed clinical psychologists to review each video. The psychologists were called to assess whether the videos accurately captured the symptoms of adult or adolescent ADHD that are characterised in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used by medical professionals in the US to diagnose and classify mental health conditions. If a video's claim didn't match up with the manual, the psychologists then established whether the symptoms in the video better reflected a different type of disorder or something that anyone, including those without ADHD, might experience. Finally, they rated on a scale of one to five whether they would recommend the video to help educate other people about ADHD. One limitation of the study was that it did not rely on a large panel of experts to evaluate the videos. The researchers then asked more than 840 undergraduate students to rate the videos using the same scale used by the psychologists. The study participants who were the most frequent consumers of ADHD-related TikTok content were more likely than the other participants to recommend the top five most reputable videos. But they were also more likely to recommend the bottom five videos. And that was true regardless of whether they had been diagnosed with ADHD or not. Karasavva said this could be because the TikTok algorithm serves videos that are similar to those a person has already watched - and as we come across the same information again and again, it's tempting to think that "all these people can't be wrong." "In the end, you might come to believe things that don't really match up with the science," she said. Notably, the students in the study also vastly overestimated how many people actually had ADHD. In an email, TikTok said that it strongly encourages people to seek professional medical advice if they are in need of support and that the platform directs users to reliable resources when they search for ADHD-related content. The information on TikTok "doesn't always tell you the full story, and it can also lead the loudest voices to be overrepresented,' said Margaret Sibley, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle who was not involved in the study. "People might not be discerning about what aspect of their experience is ADHD versus something else." - ©2025 The New York Times
CBC
20-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Much of the popular ADHD content on TikTok contains misinformation, UBC study finds
Social Sharing Much ADHD content on TikTok is inaccurate, and this has potentially influenced how young adults perceive the disorder, according to a recent UBC study. The study analyzed the 100 most viewed TikToks related to ADHD and found less than half the claims about symptoms actually align with clinical guidelines for diagnosing the disorder. And it found those who consumed more ADHD-related content were more likely to recommend the videos to others — and to overestimate the prevalence and severity of ADHD in the general population. "Most of them come from a really good place," said Vasilea Karasavva, a PhD student at UBC who led the study. "But words have power. When you have a platform, you yield a certain amount of power, and you have to be a little careful about that." ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that can make people hyperactive, inattentive or a combination of the two, and it affects approximately four to six per cent of adults, according to the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada. Karasavva said many people turn to TikTok for information because receiving a diagnosis in the health-care system can be challenging. And she said TikTok can be a useful tool to provide this information — if it is accurate. "In many ways, social media has democratized access to information about mental health," said Karasavva. Karasavva said she and the other researchers were surprised to find certain behaviours being attributed as signs of ADHD on TikTok, such as having a sweet tooth, liking certain TV shows or bumping into objects. They were also surprised to find about half of the commenters they looked at stood to make financial gains from posting about ADHD — often engaging in brand deals to sell items such as fidget spinners, work books, or supplements. "The goal of a lot of those creators might not be 100 per cent to educate them. . . But more so to describe their own personal experience and be funny and quirky and entertaining." WATCH | Tatoo artist with ADHD describes how her art help her focus: 'For Our Attention' is a CBC Creator Network series about adult ADHD. In this episode, hosts Mackenzie Stannard and Sophia Biedka visit Noelle Jones, a tattoo artist at Grateful Tattoo in Squamish, B.C. Diagnosed with ADHD at 24, Noelle shares how understanding her brain's unique wiring brought validation and clarity after years of struggle with executive dysfunction and feelings of inadequacy. Karasavva says her key takeaway of the study is not for people to stop using social media to talk about mental health, but rather to caution users to fact-check information they find online. Karasavva also recommends creators indicate that their personal experiences may not apply to everyone with ADHD and be wary of brand deals offered to them. "There's nothing more human than people wanting to understand their own experience more and try to find community," said Karasavva. Useful information Kiri Vanderwel's life changed for the better when she received an ADHD diagnosis a few years ago. And for that, she says she has social media to thank. It was through social media — both Instagram and TikTok — that she learned many of her characteristics might be indicative of ADHD. "It has changed my life fundamentally, being able to have access to that information," she said. Vanderwel says she has seen misinformation on social media, noticing some videos appear to be more for views than actual education. "It is just video upon video upon video. . . we run the risk of taking in a piece of content without ever investigating further." But she says she also follows several social media creators who are medical professionals who provide valuable information. She recommends people who are in her position who may have seen something on social media that indicates they might have ADHD to pursue further information and seek out a diagnosis.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
TikTok is full of ADHD advice, but nearly half of it is misleading, study finds
A new study finds that nearly half of the most popular ADHD videos on TikTok share misleading claims that don't match official diagnoses. The study, published Wednesday in PLOS One, explored TikTok's role as an educational tool for ADHD. ADHD – short for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder – is a condition that affects focus, self-control and impulse regulation, making it harder to stay organized and pay attention, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. To assess the reliability of TikTok content that provides information and advice about ADHD, two licensed psychologists watched the top 100 most-viewed TikTok videos that were shared with the #ADHD hashtag and judged their accuracy based on the criteria mental health professionals use to make a diagnosis. The videos were immensely popular, gathering nearly half a billion views combined, but only about 49% of their claims were accurate according to the psychologists, who noted that symptoms were often oversimplified or failed to explain how ADHD can vary from person to person. There were different categories of misinformation, Vasileia Karasavva, the study's lead author and PhD student at the University of British Columbia, told ABC News. "Some behaviors were better described by different mental illnesses, some could be related to ADHD but were not diagnostic criteria, and some were not related to ADHD or other mental illnesses at all," she explained. Adding to the concern, the study found that only about 20% of the video creators shared their credentials, and none were licensed psychologists, psychiatrists or medical doctors. Additionally, more than 50% of the creators appeared to have financial incentives for sharing a video, such as selling ADHD-related products or soliciting donations. "Be cautious of people who appear very confident and are selling you something," Karasavva cautioned. "Try and see if they cite any credible sources like the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] or the American Psychiatric Association." Prescriptions for ADHD drugs jumped for young adults, women during pandemic The study also surveyed 843 undergraduate students, ages 18-25, dividing them into three groups: those without an ADHD diagnosis, those who self-diagnosed, and those who received a formal diagnosis from a mental health professional. The participants in the self-diagnosed group watched the most TikTok videos and were more likely to trust their accuracy. They also overestimated how common ADHD is compared to the other two groups. Dramatic rise in ADHD medication mishaps among kids, report finds People who watched a lot of ADHD-related TikToks were just as likely to recommend both the most and least accurate content, suggesting that they couldn't tell reliable information from misinformation. Among self-diagnosed individuals, watching the videos also reinforced their belief that they had ADHD, while making those without the condition question whether they might. "Mental health exists on a spectrum, and social media is democratizing access to this information," said Karasavva. "To get a diagnosis of ADHD, it's a very expensive, long and involved process. People are frustrated by this and in a way, we have gatekept support on mental health." These findings highlight a clear disconnect between mental health professionals and TikTokers in how they perceive ADHD content on TikTok, Karasavva pointed out. "Even if mental health professionals don't think the symptoms follow what they learn on social media, it doesn't mean that the person wouldn't benefit from help," she said. According to the National Institutes of Health, ADHD affects about 5% of children and 3% of adults. It is often diagnosed with other conditions such as learning disabilities, anxiety and depression. Anyone who suspects they may have ADHD should talk to a mental health professional for an accurate diagnosis, Karasavva advised. ABC News reached out to TikTok for comment on the study but did not immediately hear back. Heya Batah, M.D., is an internal medicine resident at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. TikTok is full of ADHD advice, but nearly half of it is misleading, study finds originally appeared on
New York Times
19-03-2025
- Health
- New York Times
A.D.H.D. Videos on TikTok Are Often Misleading, New Study Finds
On TikTok, misinformation about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be tricky to spot, according to a new study. The study, published on Wednesday in the journal PLOS One, found that fewer than 50 percent of the claims made in some of the most popular A.D.H.D. videos on TikTok offered information that matched diagnostic criteria or professional treatment recommendations for the disorder. And, the researchers found, even study participants who had already been diagnosed with A.D.H.D. had trouble discerning which information was most reliable. About half of the TikTok creators included in the study were using the platform to sell products, such as fidget spinners, or services like coaching. None of them were licensed mental health professionals. The lack of nuance is concerning, said Vasileia Karasavva, a Ph.D. student in c linical psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and the lead author of the study. If TikTok creators talk about difficulty concentrating, she added, they don't typically mention that the symptom is not specific to A.D.H.D. or that it could also be a manifestation of a different mental disorder, like depression or anxiety. 'The last thing we want to do is discourage people from expressing how they're feeling, what they're experiencing and finding community online,' Ms. Karasavva said. 'At the same time, it might be that you self-diagnose with something that doesn't apply to you, and then you don't get the help that you actually need.' Ms. Karasavva's results echo those of a 2022 study that also analyzed 100 popular TikTok videos about A.D.H.D. and found that half of them were misleading. 'The data are alarming,' said Stephen P. Hinshaw, a professor of psychology and an expert in A.D.H.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in either study. The themes of the videos might easily resonate with viewers, he added, but 'accurate diagnosis takes access, time and money.' Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
