DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semistructured interview developed to improve ADHD assessment for adults. This study aims to evaluate the validity of the criterion used in 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.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD affect every aspect of our lives, from relationships to advancement in our careers and the everyday tasks we have to perform. That's why it is so important that our ADHD assessments adopt a holistic approach by examining 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, structured interview that evaluates both the core symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD your life.
The DIVA is a diagnostic interview tool developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to assess adult ADHD symptoms. It has been demonstrated to be extremely sensitive and specific. It is also extremely effective in identifying those with the disorder. It has the potential to increase awareness and the diagnosis of the condition of adult ADHD in Korea because it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic test for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country.
To perform the DIVA A trained professional typically psychologists or psychiatrists will inquire about the primary symptoms of ADHD such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The doctor will also analyze the background of the person, including their childhood experiences and their impact on their present behavior. The symptoms of ADHD do not appear suddenly. They develop over a period of time, from childhood to teen years and into adulthood.
The DIVA can identify ADHD due to its consideration of both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria during childhood and into adulthood and how these signs have affected the person's daily functioning across five areas - education, employment relations with family/partners social activities/leisure, as well as confidence in oneself. Other screening tools, for instance the WURS brief, which was compared with the CAADID demonstrated low sensitivity and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To determine the presence of 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 a neurological examination. It is crucial to think about the impact that these symptoms can have on a person's work and daily life. This can be evaluated using a structured interview, the DIVA and, in some instances, obtaining information from relatives and friends.
Recommended Website is a semistructured, structured interview that was originally designed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been refined for use in other countries including Korea. This study examined the criterion applicable to the Korean version (DIVA-5), in the clinical sample of patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA the doctor asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and adulthood, as well as the time at which the symptoms first manifest, as well as the extent of impairment resulting from those symptoms. The doctor will also collect a variety of sociodemographic information and ask about any psychiatric-related co-morbidity.
MINI-S and 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. 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 accuracy of diagnosing ADHD with the DIVA-5 was found to be comparable with that of a clinical diagnosis made by two experienced psychiatrists. This was in agreement with the sensitivity and specificity of previous screening tools like the ASRS and the WURS.
Treatment
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a significant impact on your life. It can affect many aspects, from relationships to work and academic progress to the simple tasks of organising your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses, as well as offer solutions to help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A licensed clinician (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will have a structured conversation with you using the DIVA-5 instrument to assess your current symptoms. It will ask you standard questions regarding your levels of inattention, hyperactivity and an impulsiveness. It will also examine your personal history, including childhood experiences to give you the full picture of your symptoms.
This method is essential to a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. This will help us better understand your symptoms and inform your treatment.
The DIVA assessment can be used to diagnose adult ADHD with high sensitivity and specificity. It has also been proven to have good criterion valid when compared to self-report scales such as Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrent validity these scales and has good validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA evaluation, unlike more traditional methods of testing ADHD in adulthood, focuses on identifying symptoms that occur during childhood and into adulthood. This improves the accuracy of diagnosis and allows for a more accurate comparison of sociodemographic characteristics between the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also gives an opportunity to consider the impact of co-occurring disorders on the manifestation of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is unable to prescribe medication, it may be necessary to make an appointment with a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist for further assessment and/or therapy. You may be referred to psychologists who specialize in thorough assessment of your symptoms and to determine if there are co-occurring or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing for comorbid conditions like depression and anxiety. This will enable your Psychologist an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
Getting diagnosed with ADHD can have a profound impact on your life, offering explanations for long-standing problems and opening the door to effective treatment options. However, a good evaluation requires the expertise of experienced healthcare experts. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and comprehensive tool that helps to improve the accuracy of an adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across different life stages. It also helps identify patterns of behavior, and distinguishes between ADHD symptoms and those of other conditions that can exhibit similar symptoms in adults, like anxiety or depression.
In an DIVA ADHD assessment, a doctor conducts an interview to ask several questions regarding symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. The doctor evaluates the intensity, frequency and duration of symptoms to determine the extent to which they affect the person in various settings. This information can be utilized to establish a precise diagnosis.
The DIVA test is confirmed in comparison to other diagnostic tools. It has a high sensitivity compared to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs and psychiatrist's tests. It also has excellent validity when measuring ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: education and work; relationships; home and family; social contacts; and leisure time and hobbies.
To be able to conduct an accurate DIVA assessment, the person being assessed and their family members and friends must be present. This will help build trust and a therapeutic bond that is crucial for the success of the evaluation.
An experienced psychologist or psychiatrist who is certified in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment can provide a detailed report. The report will detail the results of the assessment and recommend a treatment plan that is based on the evidence.
Please contact us to schedule an appointment if you or someone you love might have ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and can perform an assessment. She can then make an appointment with specialists to design an effective treatment plan. Be aware that the recommended treatment method is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.