Much of the popular ADHD content on TikTok contains misinformation, UBC study finds [Video]

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 …