Why You Shouldn't Trust Random ADHD Tests on TikTok

“Don’t believe everything you see on social media” – this warning has never been more true. A study published in the journal Australasian Psychiatry (October 2024) shows that in the current wave of multi-dimensional information, not everything that passes your eyes is true.

There is a striking discrepancy between the credibility and popularity of videos related to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) on TikTok, according to researchers. Many videos on the platform – including extremely popular ones – that purport to be helpful in understanding or diagnosing ADHD are actually filled with serious misinformation.

There’s no denying that TikTok has value. In addition to being entertaining, the short-form video platform has made hard-to-reach information more accessible and engaging – especially in the areas of mental health awareness and research. However, unlike scientific journals and articles, TikTok – and its creators – are not vetted for reliability or accuracy.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is currently one of the most popular mental health topics on TikTok. Verma, the study’s lead author, pointed to the growing demand for ADHD assessments or tests on TikTok – a search query that is not inherently harmful or controversial. In fact, it can be beneficial. “Credible information about ADHD assessments on social media can help screen out those who do not need assessment, thereby supporting those who do need it and preventing overburdening already limited health care resources,” Hanh explained in an interview.

Verma and his friend Sinha analyzed the 50 most popular videos under the hashtag “#adhdtest.” The videos were then classified as “misleading” or “helpful” by comparing their content to the ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) – the most widely used and accurate ADHD screening tool among mental health professionals.

Specifically, a video was considered “helpful” only if it addressed at least four of the six most important symptoms listed in the ASRS-v1.1. Additionally, Verma and Sinha compared the popularity of the videos in the context of their accuracy.

As a result, of the 50 #adhdtest videos analyzed, only four were considered helpful. In other words, 92% of the most popular videos in this trend were misleading to some extent. Worse still, these misleading videos were much more popular than helpful videos. They accounted for 93% of the saves, 96% of the likes, and 99% of the comments of all the videos analyzed. In contrast, the four videos that contained genuinely helpful and accurate information received only a small number of views, likes, shares, and comments.

To understand how inaccurate these TikTok videos are and the potential dangers, consider this example: A TikTok video with over 28.4 million views and 1.2 million likes claims to be able to test viewers for ADHD. However, the video does not actually contain any reliable or scientifically-based assessment methods for ADHD. In fact, its content has nothing to do with ADHD at all. The video simply asks viewers to count the number of times an object appears on the screen; people with or without ADHD can “succeed” or “fail” this test with ease. Additionally, the creator of this video is an ASMR content creator, not a mental health professional. Their content is designed to induce a specific feeling of relaxation from the autonomic response (ASMR). Falsely claiming that it is possible to screen for a neurodevelopmental disorder in just a 59-second video – designed to captivate and captivate viewers – is not only unethical, it is downright dangerous.

Similarly, the second TikTok video in question, with 10.2 million views and over 172,000 likes, is also completely inaccurate as a way to measure ADHD. The video claims that people who cannot make the dots disappear from their vision are likely to have ADHD. However, in reality, the test is simply an illustration of the Bonneh illusion – also known as “motion blindness.” Regardless of whether a person has ADHD or not, after about 10 seconds, the dots will randomly disappear and reappear as you continue to look at the illusion. In other words, no one in the world can keep the dots completely out of their vision. The suggestion that this is a sign of ADHD is completely false.