TU Graz Survey of 302 Users Shows ADHD Participants Report Greater Time Disorientation and Post-Session Regret on Short-Form Video Platforms

The cross-sectional study defined an 'engagement trap' created by autoplay and infinite-scroll algorithms on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. All respondents perceived content relevance similarly, but the ADHD subgroup described pronounced deficits in impulse control and temporal monitoring, resulting in extended use and missed tasks. Post-use emotional distress, including regret and mood decline, was also elevated in this group.

These patterns align with established impairments in executive function documented in observational cohorts such as the 2023 JAMA Pediatrics analysis of digital media and ADHD symptoms. The TU Graz findings add platform-specific evidence that recommender systems optimized solely for dwell time disproportionately burden neurodivergent users, an issue already litigated in the March 2026 U.S. verdict against Meta and Google.

Platform operators face mounting pressure to adopt neurodiversity-aware features such as session timers or hard stops. The current observational design cannot establish causation or quantify effect sizes; a randomized trial testing time-display interventions is required to determine whether such tools produce clinically meaningful reductions in unintended use among ADHD users.