Overview

• Michigan State researchers analyzed 211,000 r/ADHD posts from 15,432 users written between 2009 and 2023 after initially scraping more than 450,000 posts.
• Users who self-identified as having ADHD were more likely to express negative self-image and to seek validation from peers and mass media.
• Clinically diagnosed users sought validation less often, yet validation showed a stronger association with their self-image and internalized stigma.
• The paper frames the patterns through self-verification theory, finding that validation can bolster positive views or entrench negative stereotypes.
• The authors call for partnerships with mental health organizations to disseminate accurate information, noting separate research that many popular ADHD TikTok videos contain misleading claims.