DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is an interview that is semistructured designed to enhance ADHD assessment in adults. This study aims at evaluating the validity of the criterion used to determine DIVA 2.0 as well as its concomitant validity 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 affect every aspect of our lives from relationships to career advancement and the everyday tasks we have to perform. This is why it's crucial that our ADHD assessments adopt a holistic approach, looking at how symptoms impact all areas of life. In your assessment, Dr. Schilling will start by gathering details about your symptoms as well as health background. She will then conduct a DIVA 5 assessment. This is a semi-structured interview that evaluates both the core symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD on your life.
The DIVA is an interviewing tool designed by psychiatrists and psychotherapists to assess symptoms of adult ADHD. It has been proven to be extremely sensitive and specific. It is also highly efficient in identifying people suffering from the disorder. It can help raise awareness and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea as it is the only validated semistructured diagnostic interview available in the country.
To perform the DIVA the trained clinician usually a psychiatrist or psychologist - will inquire about the primary symptoms of ADHD, including hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The clinician will also analyze the background of the person, including their childhood experiences and the impact on their present behavior. This is because the signs of ADHD don't just emerge suddenly, they develop throughout the teen years, and through adulthood.
The DIVA can identify ADHD due to its consideration of both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria in childhood and in adulthood and how these signs have affected the person's daily functioning in five distinct areas - employment, education relations with family/partners social activities/leisure, as well as self-esteem/confidence. In comparison, other screening tools like the WURS-brief which was compared to the CAADID and showed low accuracy and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ADHD in adults, it is important to assess the symptoms and their causes. This can be accomplished through an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms and a neurological assessment. It is crucial to think about the impact these symptoms have on the person's job and daily life. This can be evaluated conducting a structured interview, the DIVA and, in some instances, obtaining information from relatives and friends.
The DIVA is an interview that is semi-structured and was first developed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been updated to be used by adults in other countries including Korea. The study examined the criterion valid of the Korean version (DIVA-5), in an actual clinical sample of patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA, the clinician asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and into adulthood, the age at which symptoms begin to manifest, and the extent of impairment caused by those symptoms. The clinician will also gather a variety of sociodemographic information and inquire about any psychiatric co-morbidities.
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 used the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 in order to establish a diagnosis of ADHD. They evaluated 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 has 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 that of a clinical diagnosis made by two experienced psychiatrists. This was in agreement with the specificity and sensitivity of previous screening tools such as the ASRS and the WURS.
Treatment
If you are not diagnosed with ADHD, it can significantly impact your life. This could be in a variety of aspects, from relationships to work and academic progress to the simple tasks of organising daily living. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses and provide treatment options to improve your symptoms and cope mechanisms.
A trained clinician, usually a psychiatrist or psychologist, will conduct a structured discussion with you regarding your current symptoms using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. This will include asking standard questions about your levels of hyperactivity, inattention, and the tendency to be impulsive. It will also delve into your personal history, including childhood experiences, in order to obtain a complete picture of your symptoms and their impacts on your life.
This method is crucial for a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. This helps us better know your symptoms and help you with your treatment.
The DIVA assessment can be used to diagnose adult ADHD with high specificity and sensitivity. It has also been proven to be valid as a criterion when compared with self-report scales such as Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good consistency with these scales and fair validity with Sheehan’s Dysfunction Inventory.
Unlike the more traditional methods of assessing ADHD in adults, the DIVA assessment focuses on identifying and discussing the symptoms that are present in both childhood and in adulthood, thus increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and enabling an easier comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of both groups. The DIVA evaluation also provides an opportunity to look at the effect of co-occurring conditions on the appearance of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is not able to recommend treatment, it might be necessary to set up an appointment with a pediatrician or Psychiatrist for further assessment and/or therapy. They will then refer you to a specialist Psychologist for further in-depth analysis of your symptoms and to determine if there are any co-occurring diagnoses and differentials. This includes assessing for co-occurring conditions like anxiety and depression. This will allow your Psychologist to recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can change your life. It can provide answers to persistent problems and opens the way to effective treatment options. A thorough evaluation requires the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. 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 disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
In an DIVA ADHD assessment, a clinician conducts a structured interview to ask several questions regarding symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. book adhd assessment uk , frequency and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect the person in various situations. This information can be used to create an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment is confirmed in comparison to other diagnostic tools. It has a high sensitivity when compared to WURS-briefs, CAA-DIDs and psychiatrist's assessments. It also has excellent reliability when conducting an assessment of ADHD in five areas of daily function such as education and work, relationships with family and home social connections, free time and hobbies.
A well-validated DIVA assessment requires the participation of the person being evaluated as well as their close family members and their friends. This helps build trust and strengthen the therapeutic bond, which is crucial to the success of your assessment.
A psychiatrist or psychologist with experience with the DIVA ADHD assessment can give an in-depth professional report. This report will present the findings of the test and provide a treatment strategy that is based on the evidence.
Contact us to make an appointment if you suspect you or someone you love might have ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained in the use of DIVA ADHD assessments and is able to provide a thorough evaluation. She will refer you to an expert who will create an appropriate treatment plan. Please be aware that the combination of psychotherapy and medication is the recommended treatment.