DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semistructured interview developed to enhance ADHD assessment for adults. This study aims at evaluating the validity of the criterion used to determine 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.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD can affect all aspects of life from relationships and career advancement to the daily activities that comprise our lives. This is why it's important that our ADHD assessments adopt a holistic approach by examining how symptoms impact all areas of our lives. Dr Schilling will begin by evaluating your symptoms and medical history. She will then conduct an 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 instrument designed by psychotherapists and psychiatrists to evaluate the symptoms of adult ADHD. It has been shown to have high sensitivity and specificity. It is also highly effective in identifying individuals suffering from the disorder. It has the potential to increase awareness of, and the diagnosis of, adult ADHD in Korea since it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic test for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country.
A trained clinician, usually psychiatrists, will inquire about the primary symptoms of ADHD. These include inattention, hyperactivity and the tendency to be impulsive. The clinician will also look at the history of the individual and their childhood experiences and the impact on their current behaviours. The symptoms of ADHD do not appear suddenly. They develop over a time from childhood through teen years and into adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively identify those with ADHD, as it takes into account both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in adulthood and childhood and how these symptoms have affected the individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas of life - education and work, family/partnership relations social activities/leisure time and self-esteem and self-confidence. Contrary to this other screening tools, such as the WURS-brief, which was compared to the CAADID which showed poor sensitivity and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ADHD in adults, it is important to determine the severity of the symptoms and their causes. This can be done through an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms as well as a neurological assessment. It is also important to assess the impact of the symptoms on the person's life and work. This can be determined using a structured clinical interview, also known as the DIVA, and in some cases, obtaining 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 revised to be used by adults in other countries, including Korea. This study examined the criterion valid of the Korean version (DIVA-5) using an actual clinical sample of adults suffering from ADHD.
During the DIVA the clinician will ask about ADHD symptoms during childhood and adulthood. They will also ask the age at which symptoms first started to manifest symptoms and the degree of impairment caused by these symptoms. The clinician will also collect different sociodemographic information and inquire about any psychiatric-related co-morbidity.
Patients were screened for psychiatric comorbidity 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). A clinical diagnosis of ADHD was made by two psychiatrists with years of experience who used the DIVA-5 structured diagnostic interview to determine the severity of symptoms in adulthood and childhood and determine the duration of these 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 concurrent validity 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 DIVA-5's diagnostic accuracy was found to be similar to that of a clinical diagnosis given by two psychiatrists. This was in line both with the sensitivity and specificity of earlier screening tools such as ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
If you are not diagnosed with ADHD, it can significantly impact your life. This can affect your relationships, academic progress as well as your work. It can also impact the way you manage your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide treatments that can help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A qualified psychologist (typically psychiatrists or psychologist) will conduct an organized conversation with you, using the DIVA-5 instrument to assess your current symptoms. This will involve asking standardised questions about your levels hyperactivity, inattention, and the tendency to be impulsive. It will also look into your personal history, including childhood experiences, in order to obtain a complete picture of your symptoms and the impact they have on your life.
This method is essential to a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. This helps us better understand your symptoms and inform your treatment.
The DIVA assessment is a highly efficient method of diagnosing adults with ADHD and has high sensitivity and specificity. It has also been shown to have sound criterion validity, when compared to self-report scales for rating such as the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) and the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has a good concordance with these scales, and has fair validity with Sheehan’s Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA assessment, in contrast to traditional methods for measuring ADHD in adulthood, focuses on identifying symptoms that are present in childhood and adults. This improves the accuracy of the diagnoses and allows for a more accurate comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also offers an opportunity to think about the impact of co-occurring conditions on the appearance of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist does not prescribe medication, you may require an appointment with a Psychiatrist or a paediatrician for a more thorough assessment and/or treatment. gp adhd assessment may be referred to a specialist psychologist for a thorough assessment of your symptoms and to determine if there is any co-occurring diagnoses or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety or depression. This will allow your Psychologist to recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can change your life. It offers solutions to persistent issues and opens the door to effective treatment options. A thorough evaluation requires the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. 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 various life stages. It also detects patterns of behavior that persist of behavior and differentiates between ADHD symptoms and those of other conditions that may present similar symptoms for adults, such as depression or anxiety.
In the DIVA ADHD assessment, a doctor conducts an interview to ask several questions regarding symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and an impulsiveness. The doctor evaluates the severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect the individual in different settings. This information is then used to develop an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been validated in comparison with other diagnostic tools. It has high sensitivity compared to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs, and psychiatrist's assessments. It also has excellent reliability in it comes to assessing ADHD in five areas of daily function such as education and work, relationships with family and home, social contacts, and free time and hobbies.
To be able to conduct an accurate DIVA assessment, the individual being evaluated as well as their family and friends need to be present. This will help build trust and create a therapeutic bond which is essential to the success of the assessment.
A skilled psychologist or psychiatrist who has been skilled in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment can give a thorough report. This report will present the results of the assessment and recommend a treatment plan that is based upon evidence.
If you suspect that you or a loved one might be suffering from ADHD Contact us to make an appointment. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and is able to provide an assessment. She can refer you to an expert who will create a treatment plan. Be aware that the recommended treatment approach is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.