Retrospective analysis of emotional distress and personality in social media-referred adults seeking ADHD assessment in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54646/IFNR.2026.06Keywords:
social media, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity/diagnosis, diagnostic self-evaluation, psychological distress, personality disorders, help-seeking behaviorAbstract
Introduction: Social media has become a growing source of mental health information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While social media can increase awareness, it may also lead to misinterpretation of symptoms and increase the help-seeking behavior among adult individuals who self-diagnose with ADHD. This study aimed to understand and examine the emotional distress and personality traits among adults who self-referred for ADHD diagnostic assessment following social media exposure.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using de-identified data of 85 adults who had sought ADHD assessments in the outpatient clinic in Chennai, India. Data of individuals who had responded to self-report assessments, including the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD RS-IV), Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS), and the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE), were included.
Results: High levels of emotional distress were observed in many individuals reporting severe to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress. The retrospective childhood ADHD symptoms scored by WURS were significantly associated with current stress, suggesting that current stress might be related to how individuals report past symptoms. The ADHD screening tools were linked to higher anxiety and stress, highlighting how different screening tools may capture emotional and behavioral patterns differently. A predominance of cluster C personality traits was seen in the individuals, which may shape how adults approach ADHD-related helpseeking behavior.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that considering the growing trend in social media-driven self-diagnosis of ADHD among adults, many individuals who self-refer suspecting ADHD following social media exposure experience mood disturbances and cluster C personality traits. These results highlight the importance of a comprehensive clinical diagnosis and evaluation in the case of ADHD assessments and not using only screening tools to differentiate ADHD from overlapping emotional and personality-related difficulties.
