Educational psychologists can play a role in the fight against TikTok’s mental health and neurodiversity misinformation

Educational psychologists could help combat misinformation about mental health and neurodiversity on TikTok as more young people self-diagnose based on poor-quality content on the platform, a new study says.

A growing number of young people may label themselves as neurodivergent or have mental health conditions after gathering information online, some of which may be inaccurate.

Educational psychologists and their professional organizations could collaborate with TikTok by creating accessible, evidence-based content about neurodiversity and mental health on the platform.

Their assessments may also include a focus on how a young person interacts with social media and why they may be seeking a diagnosis. The reasons are complicated and multifaceted, and not just because of naivety or attention-seeking.

Cultural shifts in the way neurodiversity is viewed, and barriers young people face in accessing adequate support, are likely contributing factors.

The study says TikTok has the potential to be a public health tool if healthcare professionals contribute evidence-based content in an accessible way. A search by the researchers in February 2024 found that the hashtag “#Autism” had 2 million posts, “#ADHD” 3 million, “#Neurodivergent” more than 1.1 million, and “#MentalHealth” 15.1 million.

The study, by Alma Foster and Natasha Ellis, from the University of Exeter, has been published in the journal Educational psychology in practice.

Foster said: “Until young people and families feel confident that mental health needs and neurodiversity can be adequately understood and supported by existing health and education systems, they are likely to ignore the tools at their disposal , such as TikTok, to fill this gap. best they can.

‘Very few writers on this subject seem to consider the possibility that some adolescents are correct in their self-diagnosis and that these discoveries may enable a new sense of understanding and self-compassion.

“But due to the varying quality of the content and the nature of the TikTok algorithm, many adolescents may be exposed to misleading or inaccurate information frequently and over a long period of time, which can lead to misunderstandings and potentially inaccurate self-evaluation.

“A more proactive way to address concerns about young people self-diagnosing based on inaccurate mental health and neurodiversity content on TikTok could be to increase the amount of accurate content.”

Dr. Ellis said: “Young people can use the app to experiment with and explore their identities, or to join social groups and gain approval from peers. They may feel more comfortable self-disclosing neurodevelopmental differences and mental health problems than previous generations have indicated a positive reduction in stigma.

“An individual may feel reluctant to risk having a health care professional disprove their self-diagnosis because they may feel forced to leave a social group that provides a sense of belonging and is part of their identity.

“But right now, many young people are engaging with a mental health and neurodiversity echo chamber that contains an abundance of inaccurate, misleading or partial information.”

The study says it could be beneficial to professional organizations such as the Association of Educational Psychologists; the National Association of Chief Psychologists; the British Psychological Society; and the Health and Care Professions Council, to provide guidance on supporting self-diagnosed young people and their families.

This resource could advise parliamentarians finding themselves in this ethically and legally complex conundrum and enable local authorities and school staff to develop appropriate organizational policies.

The study recommends that educational psychologists take into account information such as whether the individual uses social media passively or actively, what content they share, hashtags they use, communities they feel part of, specific creators/streamers/influencers who like or follow them, online friends they’ve made, or even the content that appears on their TikTok “For You” page.

They may consider whether this involvement poses risks or protective factors for the individual’s well-being, resilience and sense of identity. It may also be important to consider whether TikTok use is associated with facilitating, provoking, or perpetuating perceived problems.