DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured interview that has been developed to improve ADHD assessments in adults. This study is designed to assess 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
ADD/ADHD symptoms affect all aspects of our lives from relationships to career advancement and the everyday tasks we have to perform. That's why it is so important that our ADHD assessments adopt a holistic approach and look at how the symptoms affect all aspects of life. During 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 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 proven to be highly sensitive and precise. It is highly effective at identifying those suffering from the disorder. It can increase awareness and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea as it is the only validated semistructured diagnosis interview available in the country.
A trained and experienced 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 clinician will also examine the history of the individual as well as their childhood experiences as well as their impact on their present behavior. The symptoms of ADHD don't appear in a flash. They develop over a period of time, from childhood to teen years and then into adulthood.
The DIVA can efficiently identify those with ADHD by taking into consideration both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in childhood and adulthood and how the symptoms have impacted the person's daily functioning in five areas of life - education work, family/partner relationships, family social activities/leisure time and self-esteem and confidence in oneself. In comparison other screening tools, such as the WURS-brief which was compared with the CAADID, showed poor accuracy and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
To determine ADHD in adults, it is essential to evaluate the signs and symptoms along with their background. This can be done with an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms as well as an assessment of the neurological. It is also crucial to look at the impact of the symptoms on the individual's life and work. This can be determined conducting a structured interview, the DIVA and, in certain cases, getting information from family and friends.
The DIVA interview is a semistructured interview originally designed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been re-edited to be used in other countries including Korea. This study examined the validity of the Korean version of DIVA (DIVA-5) in an adult clinical sample with ADHD.
During the DIVA the doctor asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and into adulthood, the age at which symptoms first manifest, as well as the severity of impairment resulting from these symptoms. The doctor also collects a diverse set of sociodemographic data and inquires about any psychosis-related co-morbidity.
Patients were screened for psychiatric comorbidity using the MINI-S plus version 5.0.0 and 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 assessed 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 was found to have good concordance with the WURS scale as well as fair concurrent validity with three self-report ratings 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 DIVA-5's diagnostic accuracy was found to be similar to the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis given by two psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the sensitivity and specificity of earlier screening tools like ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
If you're not aware of ADHD it can greatly impact your life. It can affect many areas from your relationships, academic and work progress to the simple tasks of managing your daily life. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and difficulties, as well as provide solutions to help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A trained psychologist (typically psychiatrists or psychologist) will have an organized conversation with you, using the DIVA-5 tool to assess your current symptoms. This will include asking standard questions about your levels hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. book adhd assessment uk will also explore your personal history, including your childhood experiences, to obtain a complete picture of your symptoms and their impact on your life.
This approach is essential to a complete adult ADHD diagnosis. It also helps us identify the root cause of your symptoms, which can help inform your treatment.
The DIVA assessment can be used to identify adult ADHD with high specificity and sensitivity. It has also been proven to be a good criterion-validated test when compared to 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.
Unlike the more traditional methods used to assess ADHD in adults, the DIVA assessment is focused on identifying and discussing the symptoms that are present in both the teen years and into adulthood, increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and allowing for an easier comparison of sociodemographic traits of the two groups. The DIVA assessment also allows for consideration of the impact of coexisting disorders on symptoms and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist does not prescribe medication, you may need to schedule an appointment with a Psychiatrist or a Paediatrician to discuss further evaluation and/or treatment. They can then refer you to an expert Psychologist for more thorough evaluation of your symptoms, and to determine if there are any co-occurring diagnoses or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing for comorbid disorders like depression and anxiety. This will help your Psychologist recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can change your life. It provides answers to persistent issues and opens the door to effective treatment options. A successful evaluation requires the expertise of trained healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment, which is a structured and comprehensive tool, can help to improve adult ADHD diagnosis accuracy by evaluating symptoms at different life stages. It also detects patterns of behavior that are persistent and aids in distinguishing between ADHD symptoms and other conditions like anxiety or depression.
In an DIVA ADHD evaluation, a doctor will conduct an organized interview to ask a series questions regarding symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention and the tendency to be impulsive. The clinician assesses the severity, frequency and duration of these symptoms to understand how they impact the person's life and performance in various environments. This information can be used to make an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been verified against other diagnostic tools and exhibits high sensitivity when compared to the WURS-brief, CAA-DID and the assessment of a psychiatrist. It also has high accuracy when measuring ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: work and education as well as relationships, family and home social contact; free time and hobbies.
A valid DIVA assessment requires the participation of the person being evaluated and their close family members and friends. This helps to establish trust and create a therapeutic bond which is important to the success of the evaluation.
A qualified psychologist or psychiatrist who has been certified in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment will be able to give a thorough report. The report will detail the results of the assessment and provide a treatment strategy that is based upon evidence.
If you think you or someone you love might have ADHD Contact us for an appointment. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained to use the DIVA ADHD assessments and is able to give a thorough assessment. She can refer you to a specialist who will develop an appropriate treatment strategy. Please be aware that the treatment plan recommended is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.