Sign in Subscribe
Mental health

Misinformation and Stigma on Social Media: Research Highlights Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research presented by scientists at the Boston Children's Hospital has revealed alarming trends of misinformation, stigma, and negative stereotypes surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on social media platforms TikTok and Instagram. The investigation, which analyzed content posted between 2018 and 2024, highlights the need for targeted interventions to address the spread of misinformation and harm caused by stereotypes about ASD. Key findings from the research show that misleading statistics were the most common form of misinformation, while negative stereotypes and derogatory language were more prevalent on TikTok.

Key Takeaways:

  • Misleading statistics accounted for 52.5% of all misinformation on social media platforms, with Instagram having a higher prevalence of misinformation (85%) than TikTok (74%).
  • Negative stereotypes were the most prominent form of stigma, with TikTok showing a higher frequency of stigma (88.5%) than Instagram (80%).
  • Supportive community posts made up 48.5% of the posts, with Instagram leading (65%) over TikTok (63.5%).
  • TikTok showed greater negativity and interactive content compared to Instagram, while Instagram provided more supportive community posts.
  • 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.
  • The research highlights the need for targeted interventions to address the spread of misinformation and harm caused by stereotypes about ASD on social media platforms.

Statistics:

  • 52.5% of misinformation on social media platforms was in the form of misleading statistics.
  • 85% of misinformation was found on Instagram, while 74% was found on TikTok.
  • 88.5% of stigma on TikTok was in the form of negative stereotypes.
  • 80% of stigma on Instagram was found to be in the form of negative stereotypes.
  • 48.5% of posts on social media platforms were supportive community posts.
  • 65% of supportive community posts were found on Instagram, while 63.5% were found on TikTok.
  • P-value of 0.049 was found for derogatory language on TikTok.
  • P-value of 0.038 was found for personal stories on TikTok.

Sources:

  • Stigma and Misinformation About Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on Tiktok and Instagram: Content Analysis Using #ASD, #Autism and #ASDinfo. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2025.
  • Boston Children's Hospital.
  • Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Springer|plenum Publishers.

Read more