DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured interview that was developed to improve ADHD assessments in adults. This study aims at evaluating the validity of the criterion used to determine DIVA 2.0 and its concomitant validity with 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.
Symptoms
ADD/ADHD symptoms impact all aspects of our lives, from relationships to advancement in our careers and the daily tasks we perform. This is why it's crucial that our ADHD assessments are holistic by examining how symptoms affect all aspects of life. In your assessment, Dr. Schilling will start by gathering details of your symptoms and health background. She will then conduct a DIVA 5 assessment. This is a semi-structured, structured interview which evaluates both the main symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD on 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 shown to have sound sensitivity and a high degree of specificity. It is highly effective at identifying those who have the disorder. It can increase awareness and help diagnose adult ADHD in Korea since it is the only validated semistructured diagnosis interview available in the country.
In order to conduct the DIVA, a trained clinician - often psychologists or psychiatrists will ask questions about the main symptoms of ADHD, including inattention, hyperactivity, and the tendency to be impulsive. The psychologist will also look into the background of the individual by looking at their early experiences and how they could have affected their current behaviours. This is because the signs of ADHD do not just appear suddenly, they develop throughout the teen years, and through adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively identify people suffering from ADHD by taking into consideration both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in childhood and adulthood, and how those symptoms have affected an individual's daily functioning in five areas of life - education work, family/partner relationships, family, social activities/leisure time, and self-esteem and self-confidence. Other screening tools, for instance the WURS brief, which was compared with the CAADID showed poor sensitivity, and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To determine ADHD in adults, it is crucial to assess the signs and symptoms along with their history. This can be done with an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms and an assessment of the neurological. It is also important to look at the effects of the symptoms on the person's life and work. This can be assessed by conducting a structured interview, the DIVA and, in certain instances, asking for information from friends and family members.
The DIVA interview is a semistructured interview originally designed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been updated to be used with adult patients in other countries, including Korea. This study looked at the validity of the Korean version of DIVA (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample of adult patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA The clinician will inquire about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and into adulthood, the time at which the symptoms begin to manifest, and the extent of impairment resulting from those symptoms. The clinician will also collect various sociodemographic data and inquire about any psychiatric-related co-morbidity.
The MINI-S as well as Version 5.0.0 and the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI) along with the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to determine if a psychiatric co-morbidity existed. Two psychiatrists with experience employed the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to establish a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. They assessed symptoms in adulthood as well as 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 has good concurrent validity when compared to the WURS scale, and has fair validity when compared to three self-report ratings instruments that include the ASRS (self-report rating), FAB (self-report rating), 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 similar to that of a clinical diagnosis made by two psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the sensitivity and specificity of earlier screening tools like ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a major impact on your daily life. This can affect your relationships, academic performance and work. It can also affect the way you manage your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses, and provide treatment options to alleviate your symptoms and coping mechanism.
A qualified clinician, typically a psychiatrist or psychologist, will conduct an in-depth interview with you about your symptoms currently using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. It will include standardised questions about your levels of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. It will also look into your personal history including your childhood experiences to create an accurate picture of the symptoms you are experiencing.
This is essential to ensure a thorough diagnosis of adult ADHD. It also helps us understand the root causes of your symptoms, which can help determine the best treatment for you.
The DIVA assessment is a highly efficient method of diagnosing adults with ADHD, with high sensitivity and precision. It has also been proven to have good criterion valid when compared with self-report scales, such as the Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concordance validity with these scales and fair validity with Sheehan’s Dysfunction Inventory.
Unlike the more traditional methods of assessing ADHD in adults, the DIVA evaluation focuses on identifying and discussing symptoms that can be observed in the teen years and into adulthood, increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and enabling a more accurate comparison between sociodemographic traits of the two groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the impact of coexisting disorders on manifestation and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is not able to recommend medication, it could be necessary to make an appointment with a Pediatrician or Psychiatrist for a further assessment and/or therapy. They can refer you to an expert Psychologist for more in-depth evaluation of your symptoms and to determine if there are any co-occurring diagnoses and differentials. This includes assessing any comorbid conditions, such as anxiety or depression. This will enable your Psychologist to suggest an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It provides answers to long-standing problems and opens the way to effective treatment options. However, a thorough evaluation requires the expertise of experienced healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and extensive tool that assists to improve the accuracy of an adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across various life stages. It also identifies patterns of behavior that persist and aids in distinguishing between ADHD symptoms and other disorders, such as anxiety or depression.
In an DIVA ADHD assessment, a doctor conducts an interview to ask a series of questions about symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity 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 settings. This information can then be utilized to establish a precise diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been validated in comparison with other diagnostic tools. It has high sensitivity in comparison to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs, and psychiatrist's assessments. It also has a high degree of accuracy when measuring ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: work and education as well as relationships with home and family social contact; free time and leisure.
To be able to conduct an authentic DIVA assessment, the individual being evaluated as well as their family and friends must be present. This will help establish trust and create a strong therapeutic bond, which is crucial to the success of your assessment.
A psychologist or psychiatrist who has experience with the DIVA ADHD assessment can give a detailed professional report. This report will outline the results of the assessment and suggest a treatment plan that is based on the evidence.
Please contact how to get an assessment for adhd to schedule an appointment if you or someone you love may be suffering from ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and can perform an assessment. She can refer you to a specialist who will formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Be aware that an amalgamation of psychotherapy and medication is the best treatment.