Stigma and Misinformation About Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on Tiktok and Instagram: Content Analysis Using #ASD, #Autism and #ASDinfo.
Over half of autism posts on TikTok and Instagram contain false stats and negative stereotypes, so always ask families what social-media claims they’ve seen.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team searched TikTok and Instagram for posts tagged #ASD, #Autism, or #ASDinfo. They coded each post for accuracy and tone. They wanted to know how much autism content on these apps is wrong or hurtful.
What they found
More than half of the posts shared false numbers about autism. Between 80 and 88 percent carried negative stereotypes. TikTok and Instagram each showed different mixes of bad information.
How this fits with other research
Schreck et al. (2016) saw the same problem on TV years earlier. Their review found networks pushing fad diets instead of ABA. The new study shows the mess simply moved to newer apps.
Brewer et al. (2017) proved that media stories linking crime to autism make attitudes worse. Alozie et al. now count how often those ugly ideas appear in short videos and photos.
Jensen et al. (2016) surveyed Danish adults who still wanted social distance even while viewing autism as linked to talent. The fresh data show online posts keep feeding that same split picture.
Why it matters
Families come to you after scrolling. Ask, "What have you seen on TikTok or Instagram?" Then clear up the myths before you teach skills. A two-minute chat can undo hours of bad clips.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add one question to your intake form: 'Name any TikTok or Instagram tips you’ve tried.'
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: This study investigates the prevalence, nature, and impact of misinformation, stigma, and general information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on TikTok and Instagram. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to analyze the content related to ASD on TikTok and Instagram to understand the nature of misinformation, stigma, and their influence on public perceptions of ASD. METHODS: A TypeScript-based scraper was used to extract posts from TikTok and Instagram, focusing on the hashtags #ASD, #Autism, and #ASDinfo. Data was collected over a five-year period from January 2018 to January 2024. RESULTS: The analysis found that misleading statistics (MIS3) were the most common form of misinformation, accounting for 52.5% of all misinformation. Instagram had a higher prevalence of misinformation (85%) compared to TikTok (74%). In terms of stigma, negative stereotypes (STIG1) were most prominent, with TikTok showing a higher frequency of stigma (88.5%) than Instagram (80%). Supportive community posts (INFO2) made up 48.5% of the posts, with Instagram again leading (65%) over TikTok (63.5%), although TikTok had more interactive engagement. Chi-square tests indicated statistical significance for derogatory language (p = 0.049) and personal stories (p = 0.038), both of which were more prevalent on TikTok. No significant differences were found in other categories. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the distinct dynamics of misinformation and stigma across social media platforms, with TikTok showing greater negativity and interactive content, while Instagram provided more supportive community posts. The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address the spread of misinformation and harmful stereotypes about ASD on these platforms.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025 · doi:10.26594/register.v6i1.1561