DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is an interview that is semistructured designed to improve ADHD assessment for 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 affect all aspects of our lives, from relationships to career advancement and the daily tasks we do. That's why it is so crucial that our ADHD assessments take a holistic approach and look at how the symptoms impact all areas of our lives. Dr. Schilling will begin by evaluating your symptoms and medical history. She will then conduct a 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 a diagnostic interview tool developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to assess adult ADHD symptoms. It has been shown to have a high sensitivity to sound and a high degree of specificity. It is highly effective at identifying those suffering from the disorder. It has the potential to increase awareness and diagnose the condition of adult ADHD in Korea, as it is the only validated semi-structured, semi-structured diagnostic interview for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country.
A qualified clinician, typically psychiatrists, will ask questions to determine the most prominent symptoms of ADHD. These include hyperactivity, inattention and the tendency to be impulsive. The psychologist will also look into the individual's history, looking at their childhood experiences and how they may have affected their current behaviours. The symptoms of ADHD are not sudden. They develop over a time from childhood to teenage years and into adulthood.
The DIVA can be used to detect ADHD because it takes into account both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria in childhood and in adulthood, and how these symptoms affect the individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas: education, employment and family/partner relationships, social activities/leisure, and confidence and self-esteem. Other screening tools, like the WURS brief, which was compared with the CAADID showed poor sensitivity, and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To determine the presence of ADHD in adults, it is important that you evaluate the symptoms and their history. This can be done by a comprehensive interview about childhood symptoms as well as a neurocognitive assessment. It is also essential to assess the effects of the symptoms the person's work and life. This can be assessed through a structured medical interview, the DIVA and, in certain instances, asking for information from friends and family members.
The DIVA is an interview with a semi-structured format that was initially designed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been re-edited for use in other countries, including Korea. This study looked at the validity of the criterion used to determine the Korean version of DIVA (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample of adult patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA the doctor will inquire about ADHD symptoms during the early years and in adulthood. They will also ask the age of onset of symptoms and the extent of impairment triggered by these symptoms. The clinician also collects a variety of sociodemographic information and inquires about any psychosis-related co-morbidity.
Patients were examined for psychiatric comorbidity using the MINI-S plus version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impairment Screening Instrument (BEARNI), and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Two psychiatrists who are experienced utilized the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to determine a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. They evaluated symptoms throughout adulthood and 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. The diagnostic tool was demonstrated to have good compatibility with the WURS scale as well as fair concurrent validity with three self-report rating 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 comparable with the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis formulated by two renowned 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 performance as well as your work. It can also impact the way you manage your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and difficulties, as well as offer treatment options that help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A licensed professional (typically psychiatrists or psychologist) will conduct a structured discussion with you, using the DIVA-5 instrument to assess your current symptoms. It will include standardised questions about your levels of hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsiveness. It will also dig into your personal history including childhood experiences to get an accurate picture of the symptoms you are experiencing.
This approach is essential to a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. It also allows us to understand the root causes of your symptoms, which will help guide your treatment.
The DIVA assessment can be used to determine adult ADHD with high specificity and sensitivity. It has also been shown to have good criterion valid when compared to self-report scales, such as the Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has a good concordance with these scales and fair validity with Sheehan’s Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA evaluation, unlike traditional methods for measuring ADHD in adulthood, focuses on identifying the symptoms that occur during childhood and into adulthood. This improves the accuracy of diagnoses and allows for a more precise comparison of sociodemographic traits between the two groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the effect of coexisting disorders on the symptoms and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is unable to prescribe medication, you might need to schedule 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 thorough assessment of your symptoms and to determine if there is any co-occurring or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing any comorbid disorders, such as depression or anxiety. This will enable your Psychologist to suggest an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
Getting diagnosed with ADHD can be life-changing, offering explanations for long-standing issues and opening doors to effective treatment options. A thorough evaluation requires the expertise of trained healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment, a structured and extensive tool, helps to improve adult ADHD diagnosis accuracy by analyzing symptoms at different life stages. It also detects patterns of behavior that remain and helps distinguish between ADHD symptoms and other disorders, such as anxiety or depression.
In an DIVA ADHD evaluation, a doctor will conduct an organized interview to ask a series of questions about symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsiveness. The doctor evaluates the frequency, severity and duration of these symptoms in order to understand how they impact an individual's life and functioning in several situations. getting an adhd assessment uk can be used to make an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been validated against other diagnostic tools and has shown high sensitivity in comparison to the WURS-brief, CAA DID and the assessment of a psychiatrist. It also has excellent validity when measuring ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: education and work as well as relationships with family and home; social contacts; and leisure time and hobbies.
To be able to conduct an authentic DIVA assessment, the person being assessed and their family and friends need to be present. This will help establish trust and strengthen the therapeutic bond, which will be essential to the success of your evaluation.
An experienced psychiatrist or psychologist who is certified in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment will be able to provide a detailed report. This report will present the findings of the assessment and recommend a treatment program that is based on the evidence.
Contact us to make an appointment if you suspect you or someone you love might be suffering from ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained in the use of DIVA ADHD assessments and can provide a thorough evaluation. She will refer you to a specialist who will formulate a treatment strategy. Be aware that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the best treatment.