DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is an interview with a semistructured format that was developed to enhance ADHD assessment for adults. This study is aimed at assessing 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
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD impact every aspect of our lives including relationships and career progression to the day-to-day tasks that are part of our lives. It is crucial that our ADHD assessment is a holistic view, examining how symptoms affect all aspects of our lives. Dr Schilling will begin by assessing your symptoms and medical history. She will then take the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview designed to examine both the core symptoms of ADD/ADHD and how those symptoms have impacted your life.
The DIVA is an interview tool designed by psychotherapists and psychiatrists to evaluate the symptoms of adult ADHD. It has been demonstrated to have sound sensitivity and a high degree of specificity. It is extremely effective in identifying people suffering from the disorder. It can increase awareness and help diagnose adult ADHD in Korea since it is the only validated semistructured diagnosis interview available in the country.
To perform the DIVA, a trained clinician usually psychologist or psychiatrist will ask questions about the core symptoms of ADHD such as inattention, hyperactivity and an impulsive nature. The clinician will also delve into the individual's history by looking at their early experiences and how they may have affected their current behaviours. The symptoms of ADHD do not appear suddenly. They appear over a long period of time from childhood through teen years and then into adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively identify people suffering from ADHD because it takes into consideration both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in adulthood and childhood and how the symptoms have impacted the individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas of life - education work, family/partner relationships, family social activities/leisure time and self-esteem and confidence in oneself. Other screening tools, for instance the WURS brief that was compared to the CAADID showed poor sensitivity, and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ADHD in adults, it is essential to evaluate the signs and symptoms along with their history. This can be done through an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms and a neurological examination. It is essential to take into consideration the impact these symptoms have on the individual's job and daily life. This can be evaluated using a structured interview, the DIVA and, in certain cases, asking for information from family and friends.
The DIVA is a semi-structured interview that was first developed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been redesigned to be used with adult patients in other countries as well, including Korea. This study examined the criterion that is valid for the Korean version (DIVA-5) using a clinical sample consisting of patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA, the clinician asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and into adulthood, the time at which the symptoms first manifest, as well as the severity of impairment caused by those symptoms. The clinician will also gather a variety of sociodemographic information and ask about any psychiatric co-morbidities.
The MINI-S as well as Version 5.0.0 and the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI), and the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to determine if a psychiatric co-morbidity existed. Two psychiatrists who are experienced used the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to establish a diagnosis of ADHD. They assessed symptoms in adulthood as well as childhood and determined the length 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 with 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 DIVA-5's diagnostic accuracy was found to be comparable to the accuracy of clinical diagnosis given by two 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 life. This can affect your relationships, academic progress and work. It can also affect the way you manage your day-to-day activities. diva adhd assessment can help identify your strengths and weaknesses, and also provide treatment options to improve your symptoms and cope mechanisms.
A trained clinician, usually a psychiatrist or psychologist, will conduct an in-depth interview with you about your symptoms currently using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. It will ask you standard questions about your levels hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsiveness. It will also explore your personal history, including childhood experiences, in order to get a full picture of your symptoms and the impact they have on your life.
This method is crucial for a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. It also helps us determine the root of your symptoms, which helps determine the best treatment for you.
The DIVA assessment is a highly efficient method of diagnosing adult ADHD, with high sensitivity and precision. It has also been proven to be valid as a criterion when compared with self-report scales like the Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrent validity with these and good validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
In contrast to the more conventional methods used to assess ADHD in adults, the DIVA assessment focuses on identifying and discussing symptoms that occur both during the teen years and into adulthood, increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and enabling an accurate comparison between the sociodemographic characteristics of both groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the effects of coexisting disorders on the presentation and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is not able to prescribe treatment, it might be necessary to set up an appointment with a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist for a further assessment and/or therapy. They will then refer you to a specialist Psychologist to conduct an thorough evaluation of your symptoms and to look for differential or co-occurring diagnoses. This includes assessing comorbid conditions, such as depression or anxiety. This will enable your Psychologist to suggest the best treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It offers solutions to long-standing problems and opens the door to effective treatment options. A thorough evaluation requires the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and comprehensive tool that can help to improve the accuracy of adult ADHD diagnosis by evaluating symptoms across different life stages. It also identifies patterns of behavior that persist and assists in determining the difference between ADHD symptoms and other conditions, such as depression or anxiety.
In the course of a DIVA ADHD evaluation, a practitioner will conduct an organized interview to ask a series questions about the symptoms like hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. The clinician evaluates the severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect the individual in different settings. This information can be used to determine 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 excellent reliability when it comes to measuring ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: work and education; relationships; family and home; social contacts; and free time and leisure.
A valid DIVA assessment requires the participation of the individual being evaluated and their close family members and close friends. This helps to establish trust and a therapeutic bond that will be crucial for the success of the evaluation.
A qualified psychologist or psychiatrist who has been trained in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment can provide a comprehensive report. This report will outline the findings of the test and suggest a treatment plan that is based on the evidence.
Contact us to make an appointment if you or someone you love might have ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained in the use of DIVA ADHD assessments and can provide a comprehensive evaluation. She can then make an appointment with a specialist to develop an effective treatment strategy. Be aware that the combination of medication and psychotherapy is the best treatment.