DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured interview that was developed to enhance ADHD assessments in adults. This study is designed to assess 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
ADD/ADHD symptoms impact all aspects of our lives from relationships to advancement in our careers and the daily tasks we perform. It is essential that our ADHD assessment is a holistic view, examining how symptoms affect all aspects of life. Dr. Schilling will begin by evaluating your symptoms and medical history. She will then conduct an DIVA 5 assessment. This is a semi-structured, structured interview that examines both the primary symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD your life.
The DIVA is an interview tool designed by psychotherapists and psychiatrists to assess symptoms of adult ADHD. It has been shown to have a high sensitivity to sound and a high degree of specificity. It is also highly effective in identifying individuals suffering from the disorder. It has the potential to increase awareness of, and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea, as it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic interview for adults with ADHD 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 look at the history of the individual and their childhood experiences and their influence on their behavior. The symptoms of ADHD do not appear suddenly. They develop over a period of time from childhood to teenage years and then into adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively detect those suffering from ADHD because it takes into account both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in adulthood and childhood and how these symptoms have impacted the person's daily functioning in five different areas of life - education work, family/partner relationships, family social activities/leisure time and self-esteem and confidence in oneself. Other screening tools, like the WURS brief that was compared with the CAADID revealed low sensitivity and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To determine ADHD in adults, it is important that you evaluate the signs and symptoms along with their background. This can be done through a comprehensive interview on childhood symptoms and a neurological assessment. It is also crucial to look at the effects of the symptoms the person's life and work. This can be assessed by conducting a structured interview the DIVA and, in some instances, obtaining information from family and friends.
The DIVA is a semi-structured interview that was initially designed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been refined for use in other countries including Korea. This study looked at the criterion validity of the Korean version of DIVA (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample of adult patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA the clinician will ask about ADHD symptoms in the early years of life and into adulthood. They will also ask the age of onset of symptoms and the degree of impairment triggered by these symptoms. The clinician also collects a variety of sociodemographic information and asks about any psychosis-related co-morbidity.
The MINI-S and Version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI), as well as the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to detect psychiatric co-morbidity. Two experienced psychiatrists utilized the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 in order to determine a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. They evaluated symptoms in adulthood as well as 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 to the WURS scale, and fair validity when compared to three self-report ratings instruments that include 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 accuracy of diagnosing ADHD with the DIVA-5 was found to be similar to that of a clinical diagnosis established by two expert psychiatrists. This was in accordance 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 be in many areas, from relationships, academic progress and work to the basic tasks of organising daily living. A diagnosis can help identify your strengths and weaknesses and offer treatment options to improve your symptoms and provide coping mechanisms.
A qualified 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 involve regular questions about your levels of hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsiveness. It will also explore your personal history, including childhood experiences, to gain a complete understanding of your symptoms and their impacts on your life.
This method is crucial for a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. This helps us better understand your symptoms and inform your treatment.
The DIVA assessment is an extremely effective way of diagnosing adult ADHD and has high sensitivity and precision. It has also shown to be valid as a criterion when compared with self-report scales such as Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has a good concordance with these scales and fair validity with Sheehan’s Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA evaluation, in contrast to more traditional methods of measuring ADHD in adulthood, focuses on identifying symptoms that manifest in the teen years and in adulthood. This improves the accuracy of diagnoses and allows for a more accurate comparison of sociodemographic traits between the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also provides an opportunity to think about the effects of co-occurring disorders on the manifestation of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is not able to prescribe medication, it may be necessary to make an appointment with a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist for further assessment and/or therapy. They will then refer you to an expert Psychologist for more thorough evaluation of your symptoms, and to determine if there are any differential or co-occurring diagnoses. This includes assessing for co-occurring conditions such as depression and anxiety. This will enable your Psychologist determine the best treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can change your life. It offers solutions to persistent problems and opens the door to effective treatment options. A thorough evaluation requires the expertise of trained healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment, a structured and comprehensive tool, helps to improve the adult ADHD diagnosis accuracy by evaluating symptoms across different stages of life. adhd assessment cost Iampsychiatry helps identify patterns of behavior that persist and helps distinguish between ADHD symptoms and other conditions, such as depression or anxiety.
In the DIVA ADHD assessment, a clinician uses a structured interview to ask a series of questions about symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The clinician evaluates the severity, frequency and duration of these symptoms in order to understand how they impact the person's life and performance in various situations. This information can then be utilized to establish a precise diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been confirmed in comparison to other diagnostic tools. It has a high sensitivity when compared to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs, and psychiatrist's assessments. It has also excellent validity in assessing ADHD in five areas of daily functioning: work and education, relationships with family and home, social contacts, and leisure time and hobbies.
A valid DIVA assessment requires participation from the person being evaluated as well as their close family members and close friends. This helps build trust and create a strong therapeutic connection, which is essential to the success of your evaluation.
A psychologist or psychiatrist with expertise in the DIVA ADHD assessment can provide an in-depth professional report. This report will outline the results of the assessment and recommend a treatment plan that is based on evidence.
Please contact us to schedule an appointment if you or someone you love may be suffering from ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained to use the DIVA ADHD assessments and can provide a comprehensive evaluation. She can refer you to a specialist who will develop a treatment plan. Please be aware that the treatment plan recommended is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.