Analysis of the Quality of Stuttering Content on Douyin in China

Stuttering, a neurodevelopmental disorder, remains widely misunderstood in China. While Chinese social media platforms like Douyin are increasingly used for health information, no studies have evaluated the quality of stuttering-related content online, particularly for this stigmatized condition.

This study aims to review and analyse the quality of stuttering-related Douyin videos in China.

A sample of 100 top-liked stuttering-related videos was collected between 12 and 15 May 2024. The videos were classified into three categories as follows: Useful (U), Personal experience (P) and Misleading (M), and four features were extracted for analysis. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT-A/V) was employed to evaluate the comprehensibility and actionability percentiles of these videos.

Through review and analysis, we found that 4% of the videos was classified as useful, 22% was classified as personal experience, and 74% was classified as misleading. Misleading videos are more likely to be liked by viewers. The evaluation results from the PEMAT-A/V indicated an average understandability score of 53.0% and an average actionability score of 24.3%, which are considered to have low understandability and low actionability.

Based on our analysis of Douyin's video content, audience behaviour and previous research, this study reveals that the prevalent misinformation may mislead the Chinese public and people who stutter about stuttering on the platform. These findings highlight the need to raise public awareness about unreliable stuttering-related content on social media and inform evidence-based education initiatives.

What is already known on this subject Most studies on stuttering attitudes in China indicate that the Chinese public has a positive attitude toward accessing information about stuttering, such as through the Internet or video. However, this seems to contradict the overall negative attitudes toward stuttering commonly observed among the Chinese population (Chen et al. 2024; Chen et al. 2025; Ma et al. 2024; Ip et al. 2012; Üstün-Yavuz et al. 2021). Ma et al. (2023) highlighted that many self-proclaimed 'stuttering correctionists', lacking professional training in relevant fields, are actively spreading misinformation about stuttering in China. What this paper adds to existing knowledge On Douyin, misleading videos about stuttering likely far outnumber useful ones and tend to have low understandability and actionability. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This study aids readers in understanding the prevalence of misinformation about stuttering on Chinese new media platforms and how professionals can improve this environment. Furthermore, professionals can utilize the findings of this study to inform stutterers or those seeking to learn about stuttering, thereby enhancing their awareness of online information.