Digital images of pediatric mental disorders do not accurately represent the conditions.

Objective: Digital images might contribute to stigma associated with mental disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these images accurately represent pediatric mental disorders, as well as to explore specific image-related factors that influence perception.

Methods: Four hundred pictures were retrieved from three stock photograph websites ('Shutterstock', 'iStock' and 'Adobe') and 'Google Images' for mental disorders (ADHD, ASD, and depression) and somatic diseases (asthma, diabetes, and influenza) in childhood.