DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured, structured interview that was developed to improve ADHD assessments for adults. This study is aimed at assessing the validity of the criterion used to determine DIVA 2.0 and its concurrent validity compared to Conners Adult ADHD Diagnosis Interview for DSM-IV criteria.
Compared to the top 20 attributes, DIVA attributes that correlate strongest with diagnosis are attention deficit for both childhood and adulthood and hyperactivity/impulsivity for adults, followed by CAARS ADHD TT1 score and IOWA personality disorders evaluation.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD impact all aspects of life from relationships and career advancement to the day-to-day tasks that make up our lives. This is why it's important that our ADHD assessments take a holistic approach, looking at how symptoms affect every aspect of life. In your assessment, Dr. Schilling will begin by obtaining details of your symptoms and health background. She will then conduct a DIVA 5 assessment. This is a semi-structured interview that examines both the primary symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD your life.
The DIVA is an interview tool for diagnosing ADHD. It was created by psychologists and psychiatrists to evaluate adult ADHD symptoms. It has been proven to be extremely sensitive and precise. It is also highly effective in identifying those with the disorder. It is able to raise awareness and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea because it is the only validated semistructured diagnostic test available in the country.
To perform the DIVA, a trained clinician - often psychologists or psychiatrists will ask questions about the main symptoms of ADHD which include inattention, hyperactivity, and the tendency to be impulsive. The psychologist will also analyze the history of the individual as well as their childhood experiences and their impact on their present behavior. This is because the signs of ADHD don't just emerge at a moment's notice, they are developed throughout one's childhood, teen years, and even into adulthood.
The DIVA can efficiently detect those suffering from ADHD by taking into consideration both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in adulthood and childhood, and how those symptoms have affected an individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas of life: education, work, family/partner relations, social activities/leisure time, and self-esteem and self-confidence. As a contrast other screening tools, such as the WURS-brief, which was compared to CAADID and showed low sensitiveness and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To determine the presence of ADHD in adults it is crucial to assess the symptoms as well as their background. This can be done by conducting a thorough interview about childhood symptoms as well as an assessment of the neurocognitive. It is also important to consider the impact of the symptoms on the person's life and work. This can be determined using a structured interview, the DIVA and, in some cases, getting information from relatives and friends.
The DIVA is a semi-structured interview that was initially designed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been refined for use in other countries, including Korea. The study examined the criterion applicable to the Korean version (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample consisting of adults with ADHD.
During the DIVA the doctor asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and into adulthood, the age at which symptoms begin to manifest, and the extent of impairment resulting from these symptoms. The clinician will also collect various sociodemographic data and inquire about any psychiatric co-morbidities.
Patients were screened for psychiatric comorbidity using the MINI-S plus version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impairment Screening Instrument (BEARNI) and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Two psychiatrists who are experienced employed the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 in order to determine a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. They evaluated symptoms both in adulthood and childhood and determined the duration of symptoms.
The sensitivity and specificity of DIVA-5 was found to be high for both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in childhood and adulthood. This diagnostic tool was shown to have good compatibility with the WURS scale and fair concurrent validity with three self-report rating instruments: ASRS, FAB, and Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
The sensitivity and specificity of the DIVA-5 was found to be high for all subtypes of ADHD in both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in adulthood and during childhood. The accuracy of the DIVA-5's diagnosis was found to be comparable to the accuracy of a clinical diagnoses that were made by two psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the specificity and sensitivity of earlier screening tools such as the ASRS and the WURS.
Treatment
If you have an undiagnosed ADHD it could significantly affect your life. This could be in a variety of aspects, from relationships to work and academic progress to the basic tasks of managing your daily life. A diagnosis can help identify your strengths and weaknesses and provide treatment options to alleviate your symptoms and coping mechanism.
A trained psychologist (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will conduct an organized conversation with you using the DIVA-5 instrument to assess your current symptoms. This will involve asking standardised questions regarding your levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It will also examine your personal history including childhood experiences to give you a complete picture of your symptoms.
This approach is essential to a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. It also helps us identify the root cause of your symptoms, which will help guide your treatment.
The DIVA assessment can be used to identify adult ADHD with high specificity and sensitivity. It has also been demonstrated to have sound criterion validity, when compared to self-report rating scales such as the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) and the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrent validity with these and fair validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
Unlike the more traditional methods for assessing ADHD in adults, the DIVA evaluation is focused on identifying and discussing the symptoms that can be observed in the teen years and into adulthood, increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and allowing an accurate comparison between sociodemographic characteristics of the two groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the effect of coexisting disorders on the manifestation and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is not able to prescribe medication, it may be necessary to make an appointment with a pediatrician or Psychiatrist for further assessment and/or therapy. They can then refer you to a specialist Psychologist to conduct an in-depth evaluation of your symptoms, and to determine if there are any co-occurring diagnoses or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing any comorbid conditions, like anxiety or depression. This will help your Psychologist recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can transform your life. It offers solutions to persistent problems and opens the door to effective treatment options. A successful evaluation requires the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. The DIVA ADHD assessment, which is a structured and extensive tool, helps improve adult ADHD diagnosis accuracy by evaluating symptoms at various stages of life. It also identifies persistent patterns of behavior and distinguishes between ADHD symptoms and those of other conditions that may present similar symptoms for adults, such as depression or anxiety.
In an DIVA ADHD assessment, a clinician uses a structured interview to ask a series of questions about symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and the tendency to be impulsive. The clinician evaluates the severity, frequency and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect the person in various situations. This information can then be used to develop an accurate diagnosis.
how do you get assessed for adhd has been validated against other diagnostic tools and exhibits high sensitivity when compared to the WURS-brief and CAA-DID as well as an assessment by a psychiatrist. It also has a high degree of validity in it comes to assessing ADHD in five areas of daily function such as education and work, relationships, home and family social connections, free time and hobbies.
A well-validated DIVA assessment requires the participation of the individual being evaluated and their close family members and friends. This will help build trust and a strong therapeutic bond, which is essential to the success of your assessment.
A psychologist or psychiatrist who has expertise in the DIVA ADHD assessment can provide a detailed, professional report. The report will detail the results of the assessment and recommend a treatment plan that is based upon evidence.
Please contact us to set up an appointment if you think you or someone you love may have ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and is able to provide an evaluation. She can refer you to a specialist who will formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Please be aware that the recommended treatment method is a combination of medication and psychotherapy.