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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Content on TikTok: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Popular #PTSD Posts
Brittany Rohl1, Laura Carolyn Jones1, Rachel Nattis1
1Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32610, United States, 1 (352) 273-6617.
Online Journal of Public Health Informatics
|September 10, 2025
Summary
TikTok content on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) varies in accuracy. While some videos are useful, many offer personal experiences or are misleading, potentially impacting user understanding of PTSD symptoms and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Social Media and Mental Health
- Digital Health Communication
- Psychotraumatology
Background:
- TikTok has become a significant platform for mental health discussions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Concerns exist regarding TikTok's algorithmically curated content potentially leading to inaccurate self-diagnoses and symptom pathologization.
- The accuracy of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related content on TikTok requires thorough investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the accuracy of PTSD-related content shared on TikTok.
- To evaluate the reliability of information regarding PTSD symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment presented on the platform.
Main Methods:
- A search for #PTSD on TikTok yielded 100 videos in February 2022, with the most-liked videos selected.
- Videos were excluded based on language, duplication, relevance, audio, or link functionality.
- The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT-AV) was used by two independent reviewers to code video accuracy, creator credentials, reported symptoms, understandability, and actionability.
Main Results:
- Of 100 videos, 29% were useful, 59% were personal experience, and 12% were misleading.
- Accuracy was not associated with understandability, actionability, or user engagement.
- Useful videos were longer; no significant differences in metadata (views, likes, shares) were found across accuracy categories.
- Healthcare professionals posted useful content but also contributed to misleading videos; cognition and mood were the most frequently reported PTSD symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Findings align with previous research on mental health content accuracy on TikTok, though variability exists by diagnosis.
- TikTok's algorithm may expose users to misleading information, potentially influencing symptom interpretation and clinical presentation.
- Clinicians should recognize the influence of social media on patient perceptions of PTSD.
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