ADHD & The Algorithm: Diagnosis in the Age of TikTok

This project examines how TikTok has influenced ADHD awareness and self-diagnosis, with a focus on adult women who have historically been underdiagnosed and often misunderstood. Through a participatory ethnographic documentary film, the research captures the real-life experiences of women who first identified their symptoms on TikTok, prompting them to seek formal assessments. The film features interviews with women recently diagnosed, healthcare professionals, content creators, and researchers, and explores how the platform’s algorithm promotes both accurate information and misinformation. It investigates TikTok’s dual role in validating long-neglected struggles while potentially oversimplifying complex disorders. By centring the research on women's stories, this study highlights how digital spaces are transforming narratives around ADHD, providing visibility, language, and a community, sometimes for the first time. It considers whether the advantages of increased awareness outweigh the risks of misinformation, and what this means for women navigating this journey in the era of algorithm-driven media.

Author dc:creator

• Fitzpatrick, Emily, Anne

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Vannini, Dr. Phillip
• Li, Dr. Zhenyi

• School of communication and culture

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/IR-20467

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/28903