Deconstructing Information About Autism Diagnosis in Adults on TikTok: A Cross-Sectional, Descriptive Content...

Social media has increasingly become a platform where individuals share and seek information about autism. However, recent research indicates that autism-related content on TikTok often contains misleading or inaccurate information. Additionally, the number of adults seeking first-time autism diagnoses has increased over the past several years, potentially due to increased public awareness and exposure to content on social media. In order to understand how autistic adults are engaging with TikTok, there is a need to examine content focused specifically on autism in adulthood. This study aimed to address this gap by analyzing TikTok content associated with the hashtags #actuallyautistic, #latediagnosedautistic, and #autism.

A content analysis of 150 videos examined themes, attitudes, clinical accuracy, and user engagement metrics. Additional analyses were run to examine common traits that users reported in relation to autism.

A significant portion of videos were either personal in nature or misleading. Content analysis showed that many topics centered around identity related to autism diagnosis, and many associated themes were negative. There were significant differences in content between hashtags, indicating potential biases within various channels of information.

The broad reach of these videos indicates that TikTok is a potent platform for autism awareness, education, and identity exploration. This research underscores the role of social media in shaping public perception of autism and highlights the need for enhanced digital literacy to navigate and disseminate information. It also provides insight into discussions of autistic identity, which may help providers connect more effectively with this growing population.