DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is an interview with a semistructured format that was developed to improve ADHD assessment in adults. This study is aimed at assessing the validity of the criteria used in DIVA 2.0 as well as 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 impact all aspects of our lives from relationships to career advancement and the daily tasks we perform. This is why it's important that our ADHD assessments take a holistic approach and look at how the symptoms impact all areas of life. In your assessment, Dr. Schilling will begin by obtaining details of your symptoms and health history. She will then conduct an 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 assess adult ADHD symptoms. It has been demonstrated to be highly sensitive and specific. It is extremely effective in identifying those who have the disorder. It can increase awareness and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea as it is the only validated semistructured diagnostic test available in the country.
A trained and experienced clinician, typically a psychiatrist will inquire about the core symptoms of ADHD. These include hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The doctor will also dig into the individual's history and examine their childhood experiences and how they may have influenced their behavior. The symptoms of ADHD do not appear suddenly. They develop over a time from childhood through teen years and adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively identify people suffering from ADHD by taking into account both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD during childhood and into adulthood and how the symptoms have affected an individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas of life - education, work, family/partner relations and leisure time/social activities, and self-esteem and self-confidence. In comparison, other screening tools such as the WURS-brief, which was compared with the CAADID and showed low sensitiveness and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
In order to determine the presence of ADHD in adults, it is important to assess the signs and symptoms as well as their history. This can be done with an extensive interview about childhood symptoms as well as a neurological examination. It is also essential to assess the effects of the symptoms the person's life and work. This can be determined using a structured clinical interview, the DIVA and, in some cases, obtaining information from friends and family members.
The DIVA is an interview that is semi-structured and was initially developed to be used with adults in the Netherlands. It has been revised 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 adults with ADHD.
During the DIVA the clinician will ask about ADHD symptoms in childhood and adulthood. They will also inquire about the age at which they first noticed symptoms and the level of impairment triggered by these symptoms. The doctor will also collect various sociodemographic data and inquire about any psychiatric co-morbidity.
Patients were assessed for psychiatric co-morbidity using the MINI-S plus version 5.0.0 as well as 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 establish a 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 has good concurrent validity when compared with the WURS scale, and fair validity when compared to three self-report ratings instruments: 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 diagnostic accuracy of the DIVA-5 was found to be comparable with the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis established by two expert psychiatrists. This was in agreement with the specificity and sensitivity of earlier screening tools, such as the ASRS and the WURS.
Treatment
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a significant impact on your life. This could be in a variety of areas, from relationships, academic and work progress to the simple task of organising your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses as well as provide treatments that can help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A licensed clinician (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will conduct an organized conversation with you using the DIVA-5 instrument to assess your current symptoms. It will include standardised questions about your levels of hyperactivity, attention deficit and impulsivity. It will also delve into your personal history, including your childhood experiences, to get a full picture of your symptoms and the impact they have on your life.
how to get a adhd assessment is essential to a complete adult ADHD diagnosis. This will help us better comprehend your symptoms and guide your treatment.
The DIVA assessment can be used to determine adult ADHD with high sensitivity and specificity. 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 concurrency with these scales and has fair validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
Contrary to the more conventional methods of assessing ADHD in adults, the DIVA evaluation is focused on identifying and discussing symptoms that are present in both childhood and in adulthood, thus increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and allowing for a more accurate comparison between sociodemographic characteristics of the two groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the impact of co-existing disorders on the symptoms and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is unable to prescribe medication, it may be necessary to set up an appointment with a Pediatrician or Psychiatrist to further assess and/or therapy. You may be referred to an expert psychologist for a more in-depth assessment of your symptoms and to determine if there are any co-occurring diagnoses or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing co-occurring conditions, like anxiety or depression. This will enable your Psychologist an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
Getting diagnosed with ADHD can be life-changing, offering explanations for long-standing problems and opening the door to effective treatment options. A successful evaluation requires the expertise of trained healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment, a well-structured and comprehensive tool, helps improve adult ADHD diagnosis accuracy by evaluating symptoms at various stages of life. It also detects patterns of behavior that are persistent and aids in distinguishing between ADHD symptoms and other conditions like depression or anxiety.
In a DIVA ADHD assessment, a clinician conducts a structured interview to ask several questions regarding symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity 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 how they function in various settings. This information is then used to create an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been validated against other diagnostic tools and exhibits high sensitivity when compared to the WURS-brief and CAA-DID as well as the assessment of a psychiatrist. It also has high accuracy when it comes to assessing ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: work and education as well as relationships, home and family; social contacts; and free time and hobbies.
For an authentic DIVA assessment, the individual being assessed and their family and friends must be present. This helps build trust and create a strong therapeutic bond, which is crucial to the success of your assessment.
A psychologist or psychiatrist with expertise in the DIVA ADHD assessment can write an extensive professional report. This report will present the findings of the test and recommend a treatment program that is based on the evidence.
If you suspect that you or someone you love 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 has been trained to use the DIVA ADHD assessments and is able to provide a comprehensive evaluation. She can then provide a referral to specialists to design an effective treatment strategy. Be aware that a combination of medication and psychotherapy is the recommended treatment.