DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured interview that was developed to enhance ADHD assessments for adults. This study is designed to assess the criterion validity of DIVA 2.0 and its concurrent validity in comparison 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
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD impact all aspects of life including relationships and career progression to the everyday tasks that make up our lives. It is important that our ADHD assessment takes a holistic perspective, looking at how symptoms impact all aspects of life. Dr. Schilling will begin by assessing your symptoms and medical history. She will then take the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview designed to examine the primary symptoms of ADD/ADHD, and the impact these symptoms have had on your life.
The DIVA is an instrument for diagnostic interviews developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to determine adult ADHD symptoms. It has been demonstrated to be extremely sensitive and specific. It is extremely effective in identifying those suffering from the disorder. It can increase awareness and help diagnose adult ADHD in Korea since it is the only validated semistructured diagnostic test available in the country.
A qualified clinician, typically psychiatrists, will ask questions to determine the core symptoms of ADHD. These include hyperactivity, inattention, and the tendency to be impulsive. The psychologist will also look at the history of the individual, including their childhood experiences as well as their impact on their current behaviours. The symptoms of ADHD are not sudden. how do i get assessed for adhd develop over a period of time from childhood through teen years and into adulthood.
The DIVA can efficiently identify those with ADHD, as it takes into consideration both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in childhood and adulthood and how these symptoms have impacted the individual's daily functioning in five areas of life: education and work, family/partnership relations and leisure time/social activities, and self-esteem and self-confidence. Other screening tools, such as the WURS brief that was compared with the CAADID revealed low sensitivity and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ADHD in adults, it is crucial to determine the severity of the signs and symptoms as well as their history. This can be accomplished through conducting a thorough interview about childhood symptoms and an assessment of neurocognitive capacity. It is essential to take into consideration the impact that these symptoms can have on a person's work and life. This can be evaluated using a structured clinical interview, also known as the DIVA and, in certain instances, getting information from family members and friends.
The DIVA interview is a semistructured interview originally developed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been re-edited for use in other countries, including Korea. This study evaluated the criterion validity of the Korean version of DIVA (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample of adults with ADHD.
During the DIVA The clinician will inquire about the presence of ADHD symptoms during childhood and adulthood, as well as the age at which the symptoms first manifest, as well as the extent of impairment resulting from those symptoms. The clinician also collects a wide range of sociodemographic data and inquires about any psychiatric comorbidity.
MINI-S and Version 5.0.0 and the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI), as well as the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to detect psychiatric co-morbidity. Two psychiatrists who are experienced employed the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to determine a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. They assessed symptoms both in 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 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 accuracy of diagnosis of the DIVA-5 was found to be similar to that of a clinical diagnosis established by two expert psychiatrists. This was in line with the specificity and sensitivity of earlier screening tools such as the ASRS and the WURS.
Treatment
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a significant impact on your daily life. This can affect your relationships, academic progress, and work. It can also affect the way you manage your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses as well as offer treatments that can help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A licensed professional (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will have a structured conversation with you using the DIVA-5 tool to assess your current symptoms. This will include asking standard questions regarding your levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It will also look into your personal history and childhood experiences to give you an accurate picture of the symptoms you are experiencing.
This method is essential to a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. It also helps us determine the root of your symptoms, which can help determine the best treatment for you.
The DIVA assessment is an extremely efficient method of diagnosing adult ADHD with high sensitivity and precision. It has also been shown to be valid as a criterion when compared with 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 reasonable validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
Unlike the more traditional methods used to assess ADHD in adults, the DIVA test focuses on identifying and discussing symptoms that occur both during the teen years and into adulthood, increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and allowing for a more accurate comparison between the sociodemographic characteristics of both groups. The DIVA assessment also permits consideration of the effects of coexisting disorders on manifestation and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is unable to recommend medication, you may need to make an appointment with a psychiatrist or Paediatrician for further evaluation and/or treatment. You can be referred to psychologists who specialize in more in-depth assessment of your symptoms and to determine if there is any co-occurring diagnoses or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing comorbid conditions, like anxiety or depression. This will help your Psychologist suggest a suitable treatment plan.
Getting Started
Getting diagnosed with ADHD can be life-changing and provide explanations for lingering issues and opening doors to effective treatment options. However, a thorough evaluation requires the expertise of experienced medical professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a well-organized and comprehensive tool that helps to improve the accuracy of an adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across different life stages. It also detects patterns of behavior that persist of behavior, and distinguishes between ADHD symptoms and those of other conditions that can exhibit similar symptoms for adults, such as depression or anxiety.
In an DIVA ADHD evaluation, a clinician will use an organized interview to ask a series of questions about the symptoms like hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The doctor evaluates the severity, frequency and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect the person in various settings. This information can be used to develop an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment is confirmed in comparison to other diagnostic tools. It has a high sensitivity compared to WURS-briefs, CAA-DIDs and psychiatrist's tests. It also has excellent reliability in conducting an assessment of ADHD in five areas of daily functioning that include education and work relationships, home and family social interactions, leisure time and hobbies.
For a valid DIVA assessment, the individual being evaluated as well as their family and friends need to be present. This helps to establish trust and create a therapeutic bond that is crucial for the success of the evaluation.
A skilled psychiatrist or psychologist who is certified in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment will be able to provide a comprehensive report. This report will outline the findings of the test and provide a treatment strategy that is based on the evidence.
If you think you or someone you love might 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 DIVA ADHD assessments and can provide a comprehensive evaluation. She will then make an appointment with a specialist to create an effective treatment strategy. Please be aware that an amalgamation of psychotherapy and medication is the best treatment.