Content Analysis of the Portrayal of Prescription Stimulants on TikTok.

Background: TikTok has become a significant influence on public health perceptions, especially regarding ADHD. With its expansive reach among younger demographics, TikTok content has the potential to shape public understanding and behaviors related to ADHD treatment. This study analyzed how prescription stimulants are depicted on TikTok to assess the potential influence of these portrayals on ADHD stimulant medication demand.

Methods: We employed a snowball sampling strategy to collect 1,000 TikTok videos related to prescription stimulants. A systematic content analysis was conducted on a refined dataset of 548 videos, identifying primary categories related to prescription stimulant portrayals.

Results: The videos, which predominantly featured young adults, mainly white and female, amassed an average of over 300,000 views per video. Our analysis uncovered four primary categories: Positive Effects, Negative Effects, Context of Use, and Systemic Challenges. Videos frequently depicted substantial improvements in daily functionality and emotional well-being attributed to prescription stimulants, with side effects presented as manageable. The context of use highlighted the broad applications of these medications in daily life, while systemic challenges focused on issues such as healthcare barriers, medication shortages, and stigma.

Conclusions: TikTok users' portrayal of prescription stimulants were predominantly positive, emphasizing improved lifestyles, which may influence medication demand similar to direct-to-consumer advertising, particularly among young women. The depiction of systemic barriers underscores the complexity of accessing treatment, which may disproportionately affect individuals with ADHD and impact treatment adherence, warranting further research into audience reception of this content.