DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semi-structured, structured interview that has been developed to improve ADHD assessments in adults. This study will evaluate 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.
Symptoms
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD impact all aspects of life, from relationships and career advancement to the everyday activities that comprise our lives. This is why it's crucial that our ADHD assessments take a holistic approach by examining how symptoms affect 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 which evaluates both the main symptoms and the impact of ADD/ADHD your life.
The DIVA is a diagnostic interview tool developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to evaluate adult ADHD symptoms. It has been proven to have high sensitivity and specificity. It is highly effective at identifying people suffering from the disorder. It is able to raise awareness and help diagnose adult ADHD in Korea because it is the only validated semistructured diagnosis interview available in the country.
In order to conduct the DIVA the trained clinician typically a psychiatrist or psychologist - will inquire about the primary symptoms of ADHD which include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The psychologist will also analyze the background of the person, including their childhood experiences and the impact on their current behaviours. The symptoms of ADHD do not appear suddenly. They appear over a long period of time from childhood through teen years and then into adulthood.
The DIVA can identify ADHD because it considers both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria in the early years and later in adulthood and how these symptoms affect the individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas - employment, education and family/partner relationships social activities/leisure, as well as confidence and self-esteem. Other screening tools, such as the WURS brief, which was compared with the CAADID demonstrated low sensitivity and negative predictive value.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ADHD in adults it is essential to evaluate the symptoms as well as their history. This can be done with an extensive interview about childhood symptoms as well as an assessment of the neurological. It is also essential to assess the effects of the symptoms the person's life and work. This can be determined through a structured medical interview, also known as the DIVA and, in certain instances, asking for information from family members and friends.
The DIVA is an interview that is semi-structured and was first developed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been updated to be used by adults in other countries including Korea. The study examined the criterion applicable to the Korean version (DIVA-5) using a clinical sample consisting of adults with ADHD.
During the DIVA the doctor asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms during childhood and into adulthood, the age at which the symptoms onset, and the extent of impairment caused by those symptoms. The clinician will also collect various sociodemographic data and inquire about any psychiatric-related co-morbidity.
Patients were screened for psychiatric comorbidity using the MINI-S plus version 5.0.0 and the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impairment Screening Instrument (BEARNI), and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Two psychiatrists who are experienced used the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 in order to determine a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. They assessed symptoms both in adulthood and 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 with the WURS scale, and 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 diagnosis of the DIVA-5 was found to be similar to that of a clinical diagnosis made by two experienced psychiatrists. This was in line with the sensitivity and specificity of earlier screening tools, like ASRS and WURS.
Treatment
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a significant impact on your life. This could be in a variety of aspects, from relationships to work and academic progress to the basic tasks of managing your daily life. A diagnosis can help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses as well as offer treatment options that help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.
A trained professional (typically a psychiatrist or a psychologist) will have a structured discussion with you using the DIVA-5 instrument to assess your current symptoms. This will involve asking standardised questions about your levels hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. It will also look into your personal history, including your childhood experiences to create the full picture of your symptoms.
This approach is crucial to ensure a thorough diagnosis of adult ADHD. It also allows us to determine the root of your symptoms, which helps determine the best treatment for you.
The DIVA assessment can be used to determine adult ADHD with high specificity and sensitivity. It has also shown to be valid as a criterion when compared to self-report scales such as Wender Utah Rating Scales (WURS) or the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concordance validity with these scales, and has reasonable validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
Contrary to the more conventional methods of assessing ADHD in adults, the DIVA evaluation is focused on identifying and discussing symptoms that occur both during the teen years and into adulthood, increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and enabling an easier comparison of sociodemographic traits of the two groups. The DIVA assessment also permits consideration of the impact of co-existing disorders on the presentation and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist cannot recommend medication, you may need to make an appointment with a Psychiatrist or Paediatrician for further evaluation and/or treatment. They can then refer you to an expert Psychologist for more in-depth analysis of your symptoms, and to assess for differential or co-occurring diagnoses. This includes assessing for comorbid disorders like depression and anxiety. This will enable your Psychologist the best treatment plan.
Getting Started
Being diagnosed with ADHD can be life-changing providing explanations for long-standing problems and opening the door to effective treatment options. However, a thorough evaluation requires the expertise of qualified medical professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and comprehensive tool that helps to improve the accuracy of an adult ADHD diagnosis by evaluating symptoms across different life stages. Highly recommended Internet page of behavior that persist of behavior and differentiates between ADHD symptoms and other conditions that may present similar symptoms in adults, such as anxiety or depression.
In a DIVA ADHD evaluation, a doctor will conduct a structured interview in order to ask a series of questions about symptoms such as 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 how they function in several environments. This information can be used to determine an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been validated in comparison to other diagnostic tools. It has high sensitivity when compared to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs, and psychiatrist's tests. It has also excellent validity when conducting an assessment of ADHD in five areas of daily function that include education and work relationships with family and home social interactions, leisure time and hobbies.
A valid DIVA assessment requires the participation of the individual being evaluated as well as their close family members and friends. This helps to establish trust and a therapeutic bond that is essential to the success of the evaluation.
A skilled psychologist or psychiatrist who is certified in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment will be able to provide a comprehensive report. The report will detail the findings of the test and recommend a treatment program that is based on the evidence.
Please contact us to set up an appointment if you suspect you or someone you know might be suffering from ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and is able to provide an assessment. She can refer you to a specialist who will develop an appropriate treatment plan. Be aware that the recommended treatment method is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.