DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured interview that has been developed to enhance ADHD assessments for adults. This study is designed to assess the criterion validity of DIVA 2.0 and its concomitant 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 can affect every area of life, from relationships and career progression to the everyday activities that comprise our lives. It is crucial that our ADHD assessment is a holistic view, examining how symptoms impact all aspects of our lives. Dr Schilling will begin by assessing your symptoms and medical history. She will then conduct a DIVA 5 assessment. This is a semi-structured interview that examines both the primary symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD on your life.
The DIVA is an interviewing tool developed by psychiatrists and psychotherapists to determine the signs of adult ADHD. It has been found to be extremely sensitive and specific. It is extremely effective in identifying people suffering from the disorder. It is able to raise awareness and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea as it is the only validated semistructured diagnostic test available in the country.
In order to conduct the DIVA the trained clinician usually a psychiatrist or psychologist - will ask questions about the core symptoms of ADHD such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The doctor will also look at the background of the person, including their childhood experiences as well as 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 adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively detect those suffering from ADHD, as it takes into consideration both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD during childhood and into adulthood, and how those symptoms have impacted the individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas of life: education work, family/partner relationships, family and leisure time/social activities, and self-esteem and self-confidence. Other screening tools, for instance the WURS brief that was compared to the CAADID revealed low sensitivity and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To determine the presence of ADHD in adults it is essential to evaluate the signs and symptoms along with their history. This can be done through an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms as well as a neurological examination. It is also crucial to consider the effects of the symptoms the person's work and life. This can be determined through a structured medical interview, called the DIVA and, in some instances, getting information from friends and family members.
The DIVA interview is a semistructured, structured interview that was originally developed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been re-edited to be used in other countries, including Korea. This study examined the criterion valid of the Korean version (DIVA-5), in the clinical sample of adults with ADHD.
During the DIVA, the clinician asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and adulthood, as well as the age at which the symptoms first manifest, as well as the severity of impairment resulting from those symptoms. The doctor will also collect various sociodemographic data and ask about any psychiatric co-morbidity.
Patients were assessed for psychiatric co-morbidity 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 clinical diagnosis of ADHD was determined by two psychiatrists with experience who used the DIVA-5, a structured diagnostic interview, 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 with 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 the DIVA-5's diagnostics was found to be similar to the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis made by two psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the sensitivity as well as specificity of earlier screening tools, like ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
If you have an undiagnosed ADHD it can greatly impact your life. This can be in many areas, from relationships, work and academic progress to the basic tasks of organising daily living. adhd assessment psychiatry uk can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses and also offer treatment options to improve your symptoms and coping mechanism.
A trained clinician, usually psychologist or psychiatrist, will conduct an in-depth interview with you regarding your symptoms currently using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. This will include asking standard questions about your levels hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. It will also look into your personal history including childhood experiences to get a complete picture of the symptoms you are experiencing.
This method is essential for ensuring a thorough diagnosis of adult ADHD. This helps us better know your symptoms and help you with your treatment.
The DIVA assessment is a highly efficient method of diagnosing adults with ADHD, with high sensitivity and specificity. It has also been proven to be valid as a criterion when compared with self-report rating scales such as the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) and the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrency with these scales, and fair validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
The DIVA evaluation, in contrast to more traditional methods of assessing ADHD in adulthood, focuses on identifying symptoms that manifest in childhood and into adulthood. This increases the accuracy of the diagnoses and allows for a more precise comparison of sociodemographic characteristics between the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also offers an opportunity to look at the impact of co-occurring disorders on the presentation of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is not able to recommend medication, it could be necessary to schedule an appointment with a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist for a further assessment and/or therapy. You can be referred psychologists who specialize in more thorough evaluation of your symptoms and to determine if there is any co-occurring or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing any comorbid disorders, such as anxiety or depression. This will allow your Psychologist to recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
Getting diagnosed with ADHD can be life-changing, offering explanations for long-standing problems and opening the door to effective treatment options. However, a good evaluation requires the expertise of qualified healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and extensive tool that assists to improve the accuracy of an adult ADHD diagnosis by evaluating symptoms across different life stages. It also helps identify patterns of behavior that persist and helps distinguish between ADHD symptoms and other conditions like anxiety or depression.
In how do you get assessed for adhd of a DIVA ADHD evaluation, a clinician will use a structured interview in order to ask a series questions regarding symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention and the tendency to be impulsive. The doctor evaluates the intensity, frequency and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect an person in various situations. This information can be used to make an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been validated in comparison with other diagnostic tools. It has a high sensitivity in comparison to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs, and psychiatrist's assessments. It also has excellent reliability for conducting an assessment of ADHD in five areas of daily function that include education and work relationships with family and home, social contacts, and free time and hobbies.
A well-validated DIVA assessment requires participation from the person being evaluated as well as their close family members and close friends. This will help build trust and create a therapeutic bond that will be essential to the success of the assessment.
An experienced psychologist or psychiatrist who has been certified in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment will be able to give a thorough report. The report will detail the findings of the assessment and recommend a treatment program 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 thorough evaluation. She will then make a referral to a specialist to create an effective treatment plan. Please be aware that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the recommended treatment.