DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semistructured interview developed to improve ADHD assessment in adults. This study is aimed at assessing the validity of the criteria used in 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.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD impact all aspects of life, from relationships and career progression to the everyday tasks that make up our lives. This is why it's crucial that our ADHD assessments are holistic by examining how symptoms affect every aspect of our lives. Dr Schilling will begin by evaluating your symptoms and medical history. She will then take the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview designed to evaluate the primary symptoms of ADD/ADHD as well as how they have affected your life.
The DIVA is an interview tool for diagnosing ADHD. It was developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to evaluate adult ADHD symptoms. It has been found to be extremely sensitive and precise. It is highly effective at identifying those suffering from the disorder. It is able to raise awareness of, and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea, as it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic test for adults with ADHD available in the country.
In order to conduct the DIVA the trained clinician usually psychologists or psychiatrists 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 as well as their influence on their behavior. This is because the signs of ADHD do not just appear at a moment's notice, they are developed throughout the teen years, and into adulthood.
The DIVA can be used to detect ADHD due to its consideration of both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria in childhood and in adulthood and how these signs affect the individual's daily functioning across five areas - employment, education and family/partner relationships social activities/leisure, as well as confidence and self-esteem. In comparison other screening tools, such as 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 that you evaluate the symptoms as well as their background. This can be done through a comprehensive interview about childhood symptoms and an assessment of neurocognitive capacity. It is essential to take into consideration the impact these symptoms have on the individual's work and daily life. This can be assessed by conducting a structured interview, called the DIVA, and in some instances, getting information from family members and friends.
The DIVA is a semi-structured interview that was first developed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been redesigned for use with adult patients in other countries, including Korea. This study evaluated 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 asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms during childhood and adulthood, as well as the age at which symptoms begin to manifest, and the severity of impairment resulting from those symptoms. The clinician will also gather different 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). A diagnosis of clinical ADHD was made by two psychiatrists with years of experience who utilized the DIVA-5 structured diagnostic interview to assess symptoms in both childhood and adulthood, and to 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. This diagnostic tool was found to have good concurrent validity with the WURS scale, and fair concurrent validity with three self-report rating instruments: 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 comparable to the accuracy of clinical diagnoses given by two psychiatrists. This was in line both with the sensitivity as well as specificity of earlier screening tools, such ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
If you are not diagnosed with ADHD it could significantly impact your life. This can affect your relationships, academic performance and work. It can also impact the way you organize your daily life. A diagnosis can help you identify your strengths and difficulties, as well as offer treatments that can help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A qualified professional (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will conduct a structured discussion with you, using the DIVA-5 tool to evaluate your current symptoms. This will involve asking standardised questions regarding your levels of inattention, hyperactivity and an impulsiveness. It will also examine your personal history, including your childhood experiences to create a complete picture of the symptoms you are experiencing.
This approach is crucial for ensuring a thorough diagnosis of adult ADHD. getting an assessment for adhd 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 sensitivity and specificity. It has also shown to have good criterion valid when compared with self-report scales such as Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrent validity with these scales, and good validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA evaluation, unlike traditional methods for assessing ADHD in adulthood, focuses on identifying the symptoms that are present in the teen years and in adulthood. This increases the accuracy of diagnosis and allows for a more accurate comparison of sociodemographic traits between the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also provides an opportunity to look at the effect of co-occurring disorders on the presentation of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist cannot prescribe medication, you might need to schedule an appointment with a Psychiatrist or Paediatrician for further assessment and/or treatment. They can then refer you to a specialist Psychologist for further in-depth analysis of your symptoms, and to assess for differential or co-occurring diagnoses. This includes assessing for co-occurring conditions such as depression and anxiety. This will enable your Psychologist recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It provides answers to long-standing problems and opens the door to effective treatment options. A good evaluation does require the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. The DIVA ADHD assessment, a structured and extensive tool, helps to improve adult ADHD diagnosis accuracy by analyzing symptoms at various stages of life. It also helps identify patterns of behavior and distinguishes between ADHD symptoms and those of other conditions that can exhibit similar symptoms in adults, like depression or anxiety.
In a DIVA ADHD evaluation, a practitioner will conduct an organized interview to ask a series of questions regarding symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsiveness. The doctor evaluates the severity, frequency and duration of these symptoms in order to understand how they impact on the individual's life and how they function in various settings. This information is then used to develop an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been verified against other diagnostic tools and has shown high sensitivity in comparison to the WURS-brief and CAA-DID as well as an assessment by a psychiatrist. It has also excellent validity when assessing ADHD in five areas of daily function such as education and work, relationships home and family social interactions, free time and hobby.
A well-validated DIVA assessment requires the participation of the individual being assessed as well as their closest family members and close friends. This will help build trust and create a therapeutic bond which is crucial for the success of the assessment.
A qualified psychologist or psychiatrist who is trained in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment can provide a comprehensive report. This report will present the results of the assessment and suggest a treatment plan that is based on evidence.
If you think you or someone you love may be suffering from ADHD If you suspect that someone you know may have ADHD, please call us for an appointment. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessments and can provide a comprehensive evaluation. She can then provide an appointment with a specialist to create an effective treatment plan. Be aware that the recommended treatment approach is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.