DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is an interview that is semistructured designed to improve ADHD assessment in adults. This study will evaluate the criterion validity of DIVA 2.0 and its validity in conjunction with Conners Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV (CAADID) 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. It is crucial that our ADHD assessment is a holistic view, examining how symptoms impact all aspects of our lives. Dr. Schilling will begin by evaluating your symptoms and medical history. She will then conduct the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview designed to evaluate both the core symptoms of ADD/ADHD and the impact these symptoms have had on your life.
The DIVA is a diagnostic interview tool created by psychologists and psychiatrists to determine adult ADHD symptoms. It has been demonstrated to be highly sensitive and specific. It is also highly effective in identifying individuals suffering from the disorder. It is able to raise awareness and help diagnose adult ADHD in Korea as it is the only validated semistructured diagnostic interview available in the country.
A trained clinician, usually psychiatrists will ask questions to determine the core symptoms of ADHD. These include inattention, hyperactivity and an impulsive nature. The psychologist will also analyze the background of the person as well as their childhood experiences and their impact on their current behaviours. This is because the symptoms of ADHD do not just appear in a flash, they manifest throughout the teen years, and through adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively identify those with ADHD, as it takes 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 different areas of life: education, work, family/partner relations social activities/leisure time and self-esteem and self-confidence. Contrary to this other screening tools, like the WURS-brief which was compared to CAADID which showed poor sensitivity and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
To determine the presence of ADHD in adults, it is crucial to assess the signs and symptoms along with their background. This can be accomplished through an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms and a neurological examination. It is also important to assess the impact of the symptoms on the individual's life and work. This can be assessed through a structured medical interview, the DIVA, and in some cases, obtaining information from family members and friends.
The DIVA is an interview that is semi-structured and was initially developed to be used with adults in the Netherlands. It has been updated for use with adult patients in other countries, including Korea. This study examined the validity of the Korean version of DIVA (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample of adults with ADHD.
During the DIVA the doctor will inquire about ADHD symptoms in childhood and adulthood. They will also inquire about the age of onset of symptoms and the extent of impairment caused by these symptoms. The clinician also collects variety of sociodemographic information and asks about any mental health comorbidity.
Patients were screened for psychiatric comorbidity using the MINI-S plus version 5.0.0 and the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impairment Screening Instrument (BEARNI), and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Two experienced psychiatrists utilized the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to establish a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. They evaluated symptoms throughout 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 found 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 diagnostic accuracy of the DIVA-5 was found to be similar to the accuracy of a diagnosis established by two expert psychiatrists. This was in agreement with the specificity and sensitivity of previous screening tools, such as the ASRS and the WURS.
Treatment
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a significant impact on your daily life. It can affect many areas, from relationships, academic progress and work to the simple task of managing your daily life. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses and also provide treatment options to improve your symptoms and cope mechanisms.
A trained clinician (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will have a structured conversation with you, using the DIVA-5 instrument to assess your current symptoms. This will involve asking standardised questions about your levels of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. It will also examine your personal history, including childhood experiences to give you the full picture of your symptoms.
This method is crucial to a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. It also helps us determine the root of your symptoms, which helps guide your treatment.
The DIVA assessment is an extremely efficient method of diagnosing adult ADHD and has high sensitivity and precision. It has also been shown to have good criterion valid when compared with self-report scales such as Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrency with these scales, and good validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA evaluation, unlike more traditional methods of assessing ADHD in adulthood, focuses on identifying the symptoms that manifest in childhood and adults. linked website increases the accuracy of diagnosis and allows a more accurate comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of the two groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the impact of coexisting disorders on symptoms 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 assessment and/or treatment. You can be referred to a specialist psychologist for a more thorough evaluation of your symptoms and to determine if there is any co-occurring or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing for co-occurring conditions such as anxiety and depression. This will enable your Psychologist the best treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It provides answers to persistent problems and opens the door to effective treatment options. However, a good evaluation requires the expertise of experienced medical professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and comprehensive tool that helps to improve the accuracy of adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across various life stages. It also detects patterns of behavior that persist of behavior and distinguishes between ADHD symptoms and those of other conditions that can exhibit similar symptoms in adults, like anxiety or depression.
In the DIVA ADHD assessment, a doctor conducts an interview to ask a series of questions about symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. The clinician assesses the severity, frequency and duration of these symptoms to determine how they impact on the individual's life and functioning in a variety of settings. This information is then used to develop an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been verified against other diagnostic tools and has shown high sensitivity when compared with the WURS-brief and CAA-DID as well as an assessment by a psychiatrist. It also has excellent validity when assessing ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: education and work; relationships; family and home social contact; leisure time and hobbies.
To be able to conduct a valid DIVA assessment, the person being assessed and their family and friends need to be present. This will help build trust and strengthen the therapeutic bond, which will be essential to the success of your assessment.
A skilled psychiatrist or psychologist who is certified in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment can provide a comprehensive 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 has been trained in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessments and can provide a thorough evaluation. She can refer you to an expert who will create a treatment strategy. Please be aware that the recommended treatment method is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.