Activity: Talk or presentation › Science to public: (Invited) talk/oral presentation
Description
Self-Diagnosis and Diagnosis-Seeking in the Age of Social Media – Why More and More Young People Want a Specific Mental Health Diagnosis
Increasingly, professionals report that young people come to psychological assessments with a clear expectation: many have already self-diagnosed with ADHD or autism, or are specifically hoping to receive a particular diagnosis.
Where does this trend come from? What role do social media, online tests, and influencers play? And what does it mean when a diagnosis is not only a medical evaluation, but also becomes part of one’s identity?
In this talk, I present insights from recent research conducted in Austria and show how clinical psychologists are experiencing these developments. We will discuss why diagnoses can be relieving for many young people, but also what challenges arise when expectations and professional assessments do not align.