DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured, structured interview designed to enhance ADHD assessments for adults. This study will evaluate the criterion valid of DIVA 2.0 and its validity in conjunction 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 affect all aspects of our lives, from relationships to career advancement, and the everyday tasks we have to perform. That's why it is so important that our ADHD assessments adopt a holistic approach and look at how the symptoms impact all areas of life. In your assessment, Dr. Schilling will start by gathering information about your symptoms and health background. She will then take the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview designed to examine the main symptoms of ADD/ADHD and the impact these symptoms have had on your life.
The DIVA is a diagnostic interview tool developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to evaluate adult ADHD symptoms. more info has been shown to have sound sensitivity and specificity. It is also extremely efficient in identifying people suffering from the disorder. It has the potential to increase awareness of, and diagnosis of, adult ADHD in Korea, as it is the only validated semi-structured, semi-structured diagnostic interview for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country.
A trained and experienced clinician, typically a psychiatrist will inquire about the most prominent symptoms of ADHD. These include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The clinician will also delve into the individual's history 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 in a flash, they manifest through the teenage years, and into adulthood.
The DIVA can detect ADHD due to its consideration of both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria during childhood and into adulthood, and how these symptoms have affected the individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas - education, employment, family/partner relationships, social activities/leisure, and self-esteem/confidence. As a contrast, other screening tools such as the WURS-brief, which was compared to the CAADID which showed poor sensitivity and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
To determine the presence of ADHD in adults, it is crucial to assess the symptoms and their history. This can be done through an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms as well as an assessment of the neurological. It is essential to take into consideration the impact these symptoms have on the individual's job and daily life. This can be assessed by using a structured interview, the DIVA and, in some cases, asking for information from family members and friends.
The DIVA interview is a semistructured interview first designed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been refined to be used in other countries, including Korea. This study examined the criterion applicable to the Korean version (DIVA-5) using a clinical sample consisting of patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA the clinician will ask about ADHD symptoms during the early years of life and into adulthood. They will also inquire about the age of onset of symptoms and the level of impairment caused by these symptoms. The doctor will also collect a variety of sociodemographic information and inquire about any psychiatric co-morbidities.
MINI-S and Version 5.0.0 and the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI) and the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to detect psychiatric co-morbidity. A diagnosis of clinical ADHD was determined by two psychiatrists with experience who used the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to determine the severity of symptoms in the early years and in childhood, and determine the duration of those 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 ratings 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 clinical diagnosis established by two expert psychiatrists. This was in line with the sensitivity as well as specificity of earlier screening tools such ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
If you have an undiagnosed ADHD it could significantly affect your life. It can affect many areas from your relationships, academic and work progress to the simple task of organising your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide treatment options to alleviate your symptoms and cope mechanisms.
A trained clinician, usually psychologist or psychiatrist will conduct a structured discussion with you regarding your symptoms currently using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. This will consist of standardised questions about your levels of hyperactivity, attention deficit and the tendency to be impulsive. It will also look into your personal history, including your childhood experiences, to obtain a complete picture of your symptoms and the impact they have on your life.
This method is crucial to a complete adult ADHD diagnosis. This allows us to better understand your symptoms and inform 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 have sound criterion validity, when compared to self-report rating scales like the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) and the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrent validity these scales and has fair validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA assessment, 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 for a more precise comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of the two groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the impact of co-existing disorders on the manifestation and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is unable to prescribe medication, you may require an appointment with a psychiatrist or a Paediatrician to discuss further evaluation and/or treatment. They will then 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 co-occurring conditions, such as depression or anxiety. This will enable your Psychologist to suggest an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It offers solutions to persistent issues and opens the way to effective treatment options. A thorough evaluation requires the expertise of trained healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a standardized and comprehensive tool that helps to improve the accuracy of adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across various life stages. It also helps identify patterns of behavior that remain and aids in distinguishing between ADHD symptoms and other disorders like depression or anxiety.
In a DIVA ADHD evaluation, a clinician will use a structured interview in order to ask a series of questions regarding symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The clinician assesses the frequency, severity and duration of these symptoms in order to understand how they impact the individual's life and how they function in various environments. This information can be used to make an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment is validated in comparison with other diagnostic tools. It shows high sensitivity compared to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs, and psychiatrist's tests. It also has excellent reliability for conducting an assessment of ADHD in five areas of daily function such as education and work, relationships with family and home, social contacts, and free time and hobby.
A valid DIVA assessment requires participation from the person being evaluated as well as their close family members and their friends. This helps build trust and create a strong therapeutic connection, which is essential to the success of your assessment.
A psychiatrist or psychologist with experience in the DIVA ADHD assessment can give a detailed professional report. This report will outline the results of the assessment and provide a treatment strategy that is based on evidence.
Please contact us to set up an appointment if you or someone you know might be suffering from ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained in the use of DIVA ADHD assessments and is able to provide a thorough evaluation. She can refer you to a specialist who will develop an appropriate treatment plan. Please be aware that the recommended treatment method is a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
