DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured interview that was developed to improve ADHD assessments in adults. This study aims at evaluating the criterion valid of 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.
Symptoms
ADD/ADHD symptoms affect all aspects of our lives, from relationships to career advancement, and the daily tasks we do. It is important that our ADHD assessment takes a holistic approach, looking at how the 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, structured interview that examines both the primary symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD your life.
The DIVA is an interviewing tool designed by psychotherapists and psychiatrists to determine the signs of adult ADHD. It has been proven to be extremely sensitive and precise. It is also highly efficient in identifying people suffering from the disorder. It is able to increase awareness and diagnose, adult ADHD in Korea because it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic interview for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country.
To conduct the DIVA the trained clinician usually psychologist or psychiatrist will ask questions about the core symptoms of ADHD, including inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The psychologist will also look into the individual's history by looking at their early experiences and how they may have influenced their behavior. The symptoms of ADHD do not appear suddenly. They develop over a period of time from childhood to teenage years and into adulthood.
The DIVA is able to effectively identify people suffering from ADHD by taking into consideration both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD during childhood and into adulthood and how these symptoms have impacted the person's daily functioning in five distinct areas of life: education work, family/partner relationships, family, social activities/leisure time, and self-esteem and confidence in oneself. As a contrast, other screening tools like the WURS-brief which was compared with the CAADID and showed low accuracy and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ADHD in adults it is crucial to assess the symptoms and their background. This can be accomplished through a comprehensive interview about childhood symptoms as well as a neurocognitive assessment. It is crucial to think about the impact that the symptoms have on the individual's work and life. This can be evaluated conducting a structured interview, the DIVA and, in certain cases, asking for information from family and friends.
The DIVA interview is a semistructured interview first developed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been updated to be used by adults in other countries including Korea. This study examined the criterion that is valid for the Korean version (DIVA-5), in the clinical sample of patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA the doctor asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and adulthood, as well as the age at which the symptoms onset, and the severity of impairment resulting from these symptoms. The doctor will also collect various sociodemographic data and inquire about any psychiatric co-morbidities.
MINI-S as well as Version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI) as well as the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to screen for psychiatric co-morbidity. A diagnosis of clinical ADHD was determined by two psychiatrists with experience who used the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to determine the severity of symptoms in adulthood and childhood and 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 has good concurrent validity when compared with 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 accuracy of the DIVA-5's diagnosis was found to be similar to that of a clinical diagnosis made by two psychiatrists. This was in line both 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 affect your relationships, academic progress as well as your work. It can also affect the way you manage your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and difficulties, as well as offer treatment options that help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A trained professional (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will conduct a structured conversation with you using the DIVA-5 tool to evaluate your current symptoms. This will consist of regular questions about your levels of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. It will also delve into your personal history, including childhood experiences, in order to obtain a complete picture of your symptoms and the impact they have on your life.
This method is essential to ensure a complete diagnosis of adult ADHD. This will help us better understand your symptoms and inform your treatment.
The DIVA assessment can be used to diagnose adult ADHD with high specificity and sensitivity. It has also been proven to be a good criterion-validated test when compared to self-report scales like the Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has a good concordance with these scales and reasonable validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
Contrary to the more conventional methods used to assess ADHD in adults, the DIVA test is focused on identifying and discussing symptoms that can be observed in childhood and in adulthood, thus increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and allowing an accurate comparison between sociodemographic characteristics of the two groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the effects of co-existing disorders on the 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 assessment and/or treatment. They can refer you to a specialist Psychologist to conduct an thorough evaluation of your symptoms, and to assess for co-occurring diagnoses and differentials. This includes assessing any comorbid conditions, like depression or anxiety. This will help your Psychologist recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Getting Started
A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It provides answers to persistent issues and opens the door to effective treatment options. A thorough evaluation requires the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a standardized and extensive tool that assists to improve the accuracy of adult ADHD diagnosis by evaluating symptoms across different life stages. It also helps identify patterns of behavior and distinguishes between ADHD symptoms and those of other conditions which may have similar symptoms in adults, like depression or anxiety.
In an DIVA ADHD evaluation, a practitioner will conduct an organized interview to ask a series questions regarding symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, and the tendency to be impulsive. www.iampsychiatry.com assesses the severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms to determine the extent to which they affect the person in various settings. This information is then used to develop an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment is validated in comparison with other diagnostic tools. It shows high sensitivity compared to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs, and psychiatrist's assessments. It also has a high degree of validity when conducting an assessment of ADHD in five areas of daily functioning that include education and work relationships, home and family, social contacts, and leisure time and hobbies.
To be able to conduct an accurate DIVA assessment, the individual being evaluated as well as their family members and friends must be present. This will help build trust and strengthen the therapeutic bond that is essential for the success of the evaluation.
A skilled psychiatrist or psychologist who is skilled in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment can give a thorough report. The report will detail the results of the assessment and provide a treatment strategy that is based on evidence.
Contact us to make an appointment if you suspect you or someone you love may have ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained to use the DIVA ADHD assessments and can provide a thorough evaluation. She can refer you to a specialist who will develop an appropriate treatment strategy. Please be aware that the combination of psychotherapy and medication is the best treatment.