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DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis

DIVA is a semi-structured interview designed to improve ADHD assessments in adults. This study aims at evaluating the validity of the criteria used in DIVA 2.0 and 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 can affect every area of life from relationships and career advancement to the everyday tasks that are part of our lives. It is essential that our ADHD assessment is a holistic view, examining how symptoms impact every aspect 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 interview that examines both the primary symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD your life.

The DIVA is an interview instrument designed by psychotherapists and psychiatrists to assess symptoms of adult ADHD. It has been found to be highly sensitive and precise. It is highly effective at 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.

In order to conduct the DIVA the trained clinician typically psychologists or psychiatrists will ask questions about the core symptoms of ADHD such as inattention, hyperactivity and the tendency to be impulsive. The psychologist will also analyze the history of the individual and their childhood experiences as well as their impact on their present behavior. This is because the symptoms of ADHD don't just emerge suddenly, they develop throughout the teen years, and into adulthood.

The DIVA can effectively identify those with ADHD because it takes into account both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in adulthood and childhood, and how those symptoms have affected an individual's daily functioning in five different areas of life: education, work, family/partner relations and leisure time/social activities, and self-esteem and self-confidence. Other screening tools, like the WURS brief that was compared with the CAADID showed poor sensitivity, and negative predictive value.

Diagnosis

To diagnose ADHD in adults, it is essential to evaluate the signs and symptoms as well as their history. This can be accomplished through a comprehensive interview on childhood symptoms and a neurological examination. It is crucial to think about the impact these symptoms have on the person's work and life. This can be evaluated using a structured interview, the DIVA and, in certain instances, obtaining information from family and friends.


The DIVA is an interview with a semi-structured format that was initially developed to be used with adults in the Netherlands. It has been re-edited for use in other countries including Korea. This study examined 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 ask about ADHD symptoms in the early years and in adulthood. They will also ask the age at which they first noticed symptoms and the level of impairment triggered by these symptoms. The clinician also collects a variety of sociodemographic information and inquires about any psychiatric co-morbidity.

Patients were examined for psychiatric comorbidity using the MINI-S plus version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impairment Screening Instrument (BEARNI), and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). A diagnosis of clinical ADHD was established by two psychiatrists with experience who used the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to evaluate symptoms in both the early years and in childhood, and determine the duration of those 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 has fair validity when compared with three self-report ratings instruments which 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 diagnostic accuracy of the DIVA-5 was found to be similar to the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis established by two expert 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 daily life. This could be in a variety of areas from your relationships, academic and work progress to the simple tasks of organising daily living. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses as well as provide treatment options to alleviate your symptoms and coping mechanism.

A licensed professional (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will conduct a structured conversation with you, using the DIVA-5 tool to assess your current symptoms. This will consist of standardised questions about your levels of hyperactivity, attention deficit and impulsivity. It will also examine your personal history, including childhood experiences to get the full picture of your symptoms.

This is essential for ensuring a thorough diagnosis of adult ADHD. It also allows us to identify the root cause of your symptoms, which can help determine the best treatment for you.

The DIVA assessment can be used to determine adult ADHD with high sensitivity and specificity. It has also been proven to have sound criterion validity, when compared to self-report rating scales 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.

In contrast to the more conventional methods of assessing ADHD in adults, the DIVA evaluation focuses on identifying and discussing the symptoms that are present in both the teen years and into adulthood, increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and allowing an accurate comparison between sociodemographic traits of the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also offers an opportunity to look at the effects of co-occurring disorders on appearance of ADHD symptoms.

If your Psychologist is not able to recommend treatment, it might be necessary to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician or Psychiatrist to further assess and/or therapy. You can be referred to a specialist psychologist for a more in-depth assessment of your symptoms and to determine if there are any co-occurring or different diagnoses. This includes assessing for co-occurring conditions like depression and anxiety. This will help your Psychologist recommend an appropriate treatment plan.

Getting Started

Being diagnosed with ADHD can be life-changing and provide explanations for lingering issues and opening doors to effective treatment options. However, a reliable assessment requires the expertise of experienced medical professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and comprehensive tool that can help to improve the accuracy of adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across various life stages. It also helps identify patterns of behavior that remain and aids in distinguishing between ADHD symptoms and other conditions, such as depression or anxiety.

In an DIVA ADHD assessment, a clinician uses a structured interview to ask a series of questions about symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. The clinician evaluates the frequency, severity and duration of these symptoms to understand how they impact an individual's life and functioning in various environments. This information can be used to create an accurate diagnosis.

The DIVA assessment has been validated against other diagnostic tools and has shown high sensitivity in comparison to the WURS-brief, CAA DID and a psychiatrist's assessment. It also has high accuracy when it comes to assessing ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: education and work as well as relationships with family and home; social contacts; and free time and hobbies.

A valid DIVA assessment requires the participation of the individual being evaluated and their close family members and close friends. This will help build trust and a strong therapeutic connection, which is crucial to the success of your assessment.

get adhd assessment or psychiatrist who has experience in the DIVA ADHD assessment can provide an in-depth, professional report. This report will present the results of the assessment and suggest a treatment plan that is based upon evidence.

Please contact us to schedule an appointment if you think you or someone you love may be suffering from ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and is able to provide an evaluation. She will refer you to a specialist who will formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Be aware that the combination of psychotherapy and medication is the recommended treatment.

Member since: Monday, October 14, 2024

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