DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semistructured interview developed to improve ADHD assessment 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.
Signs and symptoms
ADD/ADHD symptoms affect 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, looking at how symptoms impact all areas of our lives. Dr. Schilling will begin by assessing your symptoms and medical history. 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 on your life.
The DIVA is an interview instrument designed by psychiatrists and psychotherapists to determine the signs of adult ADHD. It has been proven to have a high sensitivity to sound and specificity. It is also extremely effective in identifying individuals suffering from the disorder. It is able to increase awareness of, and diagnosis of adult ADHD in Korea since it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic test for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country.
To conduct the DIVA the trained clinician typically a psychiatrist or psychologist - will ask questions about the core symptoms of ADHD, including hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsive nature. The psychologist will also examine the background of the person and their childhood experiences and the impact on their current behaviours. This is because the symptoms of ADHD do not just appear suddenly, they develop throughout one's childhood, teen years, and even into adulthood.
The DIVA can be used to detect ADHD because it takes into account both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria in the early years and later in adulthood and how these symptoms have affected the person's daily functioning in five distinct areas - employment, education and family/partner relationships, social activities/leisure, and self-esteem/confidence. In comparison, other screening tools such as the WURS-brief, which was compared to CAADID and showed low sensitiveness and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ADHD in adults, it is crucial to evaluate the symptoms and their history. This can be done by a comprehensive interview about childhood symptoms and an assessment of the neurocognitive. It is also essential to consider the impact of the symptoms on the individual's life and work. This can be evaluated through a structured medical interview, called the DIVA and, in certain cases, obtaining information from friends and family members.
The DIVA is an interview with a semi-structured format that was first developed for use with adults in the Netherlands. Learn Even more has been re-edited for use in other countries, including Korea. This study looked at the criteria valid of the Korean version (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample consisting of patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA The clinician will inquire about the presence of ADHD symptoms during childhood and into adulthood, the age at which symptoms first manifest, as well as the severity of impairment resulting from these symptoms. The doctor also collects a wide range of sociodemographic data and asks about any psychosis-related or comorbidity.
MINI-S as well as Version 5.0.0 The MINI-S plus Version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI) along with the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to detect psychiatric co-morbidity. A diagnosis of clinical ADHD was established by two psychiatrists with years of experience who used the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to assess symptoms in both childhood and adulthood, and to determine the duration of these 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 concordance with the WURS scale and fair concurrent validity with three self-report rating instruments: the 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 diagnosing ADHD with the DIVA-5 was found to be comparable to the accuracy of a diagnosis made by two experienced psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the sensitivity as well as specificity of earlier screening tools like ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
If you have an undiagnosed ADHD it can greatly affect your life. It can impact your relationships, academic progress as well as your work. It can also impact the way you organize your day-to-day activities. A diagnosis can help you recognize your strengths and difficulties, and also provide solutions to improve your symptoms and coping mechanisms.
A qualified professional (typically psychiatrists or psychologist) will conduct an organized conversation with you, using the DIVA-5 tool to evaluate your current symptoms. This will involve asking standardised questions regarding your levels of hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. It will also dig into your personal history, including childhood experiences to give you a complete picture of your symptoms.
This method is crucial to a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. It also allows us to determine the root of your symptoms, which helps guide your treatment.
The DIVA assessment is a highly efficient method of diagnosing adult ADHD and has high sensitivity and precision. It has also been proven to be a good criterion-validated test when compared with self-report scales, such as the Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrent validity with these scales and has reasonable validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA evaluation, in contrast to the more conventional methods of measuring ADHD in adulthood it focuses on identifying signs that occur during childhood and adults. This improves the accuracy of diagnoses and allows a more accurate comparison of sociodemographic traits between the two groups. The DIVA assessment also permits consideration of the impact of co-existing disorders on the presentation and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is unable to prescribe treatment, it might be necessary to set up an appointment with a pediatrician or Psychiatrist to further assess and/or therapy. They will then refer you to a specialist Psychologist to conduct an in-depth analysis of your symptoms, and to assess for co-occurring diagnoses and differentials. This includes assessing co-occurring disorders, such as anxiety or depression. This will enable your Psychologist recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can change your life. It provides answers to long-standing problems and opens the door to effective treatment options. A good evaluation does require the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. The DIVA ADHD assessment, a well-structured and extensive tool, helps to improve the adult ADHD diagnosis accuracy by evaluating symptoms at various stages of life. It also helps identify patterns of behavior that are persistent and helps distinguish between ADHD symptoms and other conditions like depression or anxiety.
In an DIVA ADHD assessment, a clinician conducts a structured interview to ask a series of questions about symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and an impulsiveness. The doctor evaluates the severity, frequency and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect the individual in different settings. This information can be used to develop an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been validated in comparison to other diagnostic tools. It has high sensitivity in comparison to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs and psychiatrist's tests. It also has high accuracy when assessing ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: education and work; relationships; family and home social interactions; free time and leisure.
For an accurate DIVA assessment, the person being assessed and their family and friends must be present. This will help build trust and create a strong therapeutic bond, which will be crucial to the success of your evaluation.
A skilled psychologist or psychiatrist who has been trained in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment will be able to provide a comprehensive report. The report will detail the findings of the test and recommend a treatment plan that is based on the evidence.
If you think you or a loved one might be suffering from ADHD If you suspect that someone you know may have ADHD, please call us to make an appointment. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and is able to provide an assessment. She can then make a referral to specialists to design an effective treatment plan. Please be aware that the recommended treatment approach is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.