SAN FRANCISCO – , new research shows.
These findings, say investigators, underscore the need for mental health professionals to help counter the spread of false information by creating accurate content and posting it on the popular social media platform.
Isreal Bladimir Munoz
Mr. Isreal Bladimir Munoz
“Health care professionals need to make engaging content to post on social media platforms like YouTube and especially TikTok, to reach wider audiences and combat misinformation about DID,” study investigator Isreal Bladimir Munoz, a fourth-year medical student at University of Texas, Galveston, said in an interview.
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
Popularized by the media
A rare condition affecting less than 1% of the general population, DID involves two or more distinct personality states, along with changes in behavior and memory gaps.
The condition has been popularized in books and the media. Movies such as “Split,” “Psycho,” and “Fight Club” all feature characters with DID.
“These bring awareness about the condition, but also often sensationalize or stigmatize it and reinforce stereotypes,” said Mr. Munoz.
In recent years, social media has become an integral part of everyday life. An estimated 4.2 billion people actively frequent sites such as YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, and Meta.
Although social media allows for instant communication and the opportunity for self-expression, there are mounting concerns about the spread of misinformation and its potential impact on mental health and privacy, said Mr. Munoz.
To evaluate the quality and accuracy of information about DID on social media, investigators analyzed 60 YouTube and 97 TikTok videos on the condition.
To evaluate the reliability and the intent and reliability of videos, researchers used the modified DISCERN instrument and the Global Quality Scale, a five-point rating system.
Using these tools, the researchers determined whether the selected videos were useful, misleading, or neither. Mr. Munoz said videos were classified as useful if they contained accurate information about the condition and its pathogenesis, treatment, and management.
Researchers determined that for YouTube videos, 51.7% were useful, 6.6% were misleading, and 34.7% were neither. About 43.3% of these videos involved interviews, 21.7% were educational, 15% involved personal stories, 8.3% were films/TV programs, 5% were comedy skits, and 3.3% were another content type.
The highest quality YouTube videos were from educational organizations and health care professionals. The least accurate videos came from independent users and film/TV sources.
As for TikTok videos on DID, only 5.2% were useful, 10.3% were misleading, and 41.7% were neither.
The main sources for TikTok videos were independent organizations, whereas podcasts and film/TV were the least common sources.
The findings, said Mr. Munoz, underscore the need for medical professionals to develop high-quality content about DID and post it on TikTok to counter misinformation on social media.
Call to action
In a comment, Howard Y. Liu, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and chair of the department of psychiatry, University of Nebraska, Omaha, described the study as “compelling.”
Dr. Howard Liu
When it comes to public health messages, it’s important to know what social media people are using. Today’s parents are on Twitter and Facebook, whereas their children are more likely to be checking out YouTube and TikTok, said Dr. Liu, chair of the APA’s Council on Communications.
“TikTok is critical because that’s where all the youth eyeballs are,” he said.
The medical profession needs to engage with the platform to reach this next-generation audience and help stop the spread of misinformation about DID, said Dr. Liu. He noted that the APA is looking into undertaking such an initiative.
The study investigators report no relevant disclosures. Dr. Liu reports no relevant disclosures.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.