DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is an interview that is semistructured designed to enhance ADHD assessment for adults. This study will evaluate the reliability of the criteria used to determine 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.
Symptoms
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD impact all aspects of life including relationships and career advancement to the everyday tasks that make up our lives. It is crucial that our ADHD assessment takes a comprehensive approach, looking at how the symptoms affect all aspects of life. During your assessment, Dr Schilling will begin by collecting information about your symptoms and 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 interview tool for diagnosing ADHD. It was created by psychologists and psychiatrists to assess adult ADHD symptoms. It has been proven to have a high sensitivity to sound and a high degree of specificity. It is also extremely effective in identifying those with the disorder. It has the potential to increase awareness and diagnose, adult ADHD in Korea since it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic interview for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country.
To perform the DIVA A trained professional usually psychologist or psychiatrist will ask questions about the main symptoms of ADHD, including hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsive nature. The psychologist will also look at the history of the individual as well as their childhood experiences and the impact on their current behaviours. This is because the signs of ADHD do not just appear at a moment's notice, they are developed throughout the teen years, and even into adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively identify people suffering from ADHD because it takes into account both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD during childhood and into adulthood and how the symptoms have impacted the individual's daily functioning in five different areas of life - education and work, family/partnership relations, social activities/leisure time, and self-esteem and self-confidence. In comparison, other screening tools such as the WURS-brief, which was compared with the CAADID, showed poor sensitivity and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
To determine the presence of ADHD in adults it is essential to evaluate the symptoms as well as their background. diva adhd assessment can be accomplished through an extensive interview about childhood symptoms as well as a neurological assessment. It is crucial to think about the impact these symptoms can have on a person's work and life. This can be evaluated using a structured clinical interview, the DIVA and, in some instances, getting information from friends and family members.
The DIVA is an interview that is semi-structured and was first developed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been refined to be used in other countries, including Korea. This study examined the criterion applicable to the Korean version (DIVA-5), in a clinical sample consisting of patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA The clinician will inquire about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and into adulthood, the time at which the symptoms begin to manifest, and the extent of impairment caused by those symptoms. The clinician will also collect a variety of sociodemographic information and ask about any psychiatric co-morbidity.
Patients were examined 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 with experience utilized the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 in order to establish a diagnosis of ADHD. They assessed symptoms both in 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 diagnostic accuracy of the DIVA-5 was found to be similar to the accuracy of a diagnosis formulated by two renowned psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the sensitivity as well as specificity of earlier screening tools, like ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a significant impact on your life. This can affect your relationships, academic progress as well as your work. It can also impact the way you organize your day-to-day activities. A diagnosis can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and provide treatment options to alleviate your symptoms and cope mechanisms.
A trained psychologist (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will have a structured discussion with you using the DIVA-5 tool to assess your current symptoms. It will ask you standard questions about your levels inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It will also look into your personal history including childhood experiences to give you the full picture of your symptoms.
This method is essential for ensuring a thorough diagnosis of adult ADHD. This allows us to better understand your symptoms and 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 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 concurrency with these scales and has good validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
Contrary to the more conventional methods of assessing ADHD in adults, the DIVA test is focused on identifying and discussing the symptoms that can be observed in childhood and adulthood, thereby increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and allowing an accurate comparison between sociodemographic characteristics of the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also offers an opportunity to look at the impact of co-occurring conditions on the manifestation of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is not able to prescribe medication, it could be necessary to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician or Psychiatrist for a further assessment and/or therapy. They can refer you to an expert Psychologist for more in-depth evaluation of your symptoms, and to determine if there are any co-occurring diagnoses and differentials. This includes assessing for co-occurring conditions such as depression and anxiety. This will help your Psychologist determine the best treatment plan.
Getting Started
Being diagnosed with ADHD can be life-changing and provide explanations for lingering problems and opening the door to effective treatment options. A good evaluation does require the expert knowledge of qualified healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a well-organized and extensive tool that assists to improve the accuracy of an adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across different life stages. It also identifies persistent patterns of behavior, and distinguishes between ADHD symptoms and other conditions which may have similar symptoms in adults, such as anxiety or depression.
In a DIVA ADHD evaluation, a practitioner will conduct a structured interview in order to ask a series questions about symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsiveness. The clinician assesses the severity, frequency and duration of these symptoms in order to understand how they impact the individual's life and how they function in various settings. This information can be used to create an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been verified against other diagnostic tools and has shown high sensitivity when compared to the WURS-brief, CAA-DID and an assessment by a psychiatrist. It also has excellent validity when assessing ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: education and work; relationships; home and family social contact; free time and leisure.
To be able to conduct a valid DIVA assessment, the person being evaluated as well as their family members and friends must be present. This helps to establish trust and create a therapeutic bond that will be essential for the success of the assessment.
A psychologist or psychiatrist with expertise in the DIVA ADHD assessment can give a detailed professional report. This report will present the findings of the test and recommend a treatment plan that is based on the evidence.
If you suspect that you or someone you love may be suffering from ADHD Contact us to make an appointment. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained in the use of DIVA ADHD assessments and is able to give a thorough assessment. She can then provide an appointment with specialists to design an effective treatment plan. Be aware that an amalgamation of psychotherapy and medication is the most effective treatment.