DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is an interview that is semistructured designed to improve ADHD assessment for adults. This study aims to evaluate the criterion validity of 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.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD impact all aspects of life, from relationships and career progression to the day-to-day tasks that make up our lives. It is essential that our ADHD assessment takes a holistic approach, looking at how the symptoms impact every aspect of our lives. In your assessment, Dr. Schilling will start by gathering information about your symptoms and health history. She will then conduct the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview designed to examine the primary symptoms of ADD/ADHD and how those symptoms have impacted your life.
The DIVA is a diagnostic interview tool created by psychologists and psychiatrists to assess adult ADHD symptoms. It has been proven to be highly sensitive and specific. It is also extremely effective in identifying those with the disorder. It has the potential to raise awareness of, and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea, as it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic interview for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country.
A trained clinician, usually a psychiatrist, will inquire about the primary symptoms of ADHD. These include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The psychologist will also analyze the history of the individual and their childhood experiences as well as their impact on their present behavior. The symptoms of ADHD don't appear in a flash. They develop over a period of time, from childhood to teen years and then into adulthood.
The DIVA can effectively identify those with ADHD, as it takes into consideration both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD in adulthood and childhood and how these symptoms have affected an individual's daily functioning in five areas of life - education, work, family/partner relations, social activities/leisure time, and self-esteem and self-confidence. In comparison other screening tools, such as the WURS-brief which was compared with the CAADID which showed poor sensitivity and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
To determine ADHD in adults it is essential to evaluate the symptoms as well as their history. This can be accomplished through conducting a thorough interview about childhood symptoms and a neurocognitive assessment. It is important to consider the impact that the symptoms can have on a person's work and daily life. This can be evaluated conducting a structured interview the DIVA and, in some cases, asking for information from relatives and friends.
The DIVA interview is a semistructured interview first designed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been re-edited to be used in other countries including Korea. The study examined the criterion valid of the Korean version (DIVA-5), in the clinical sample of patients with ADHD.
During the DIVA The clinician will inquire about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and adulthood, as well as the age at which the symptoms begin to manifest, and the severity of impairment resulting from those symptoms. The doctor will also collect a variety of sociodemographic information and ask about any psychiatric 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). A diagnosis of clinical ADHD was made by two psychiatrists with experience who utilized the DIVA-5, a structured diagnostic interview, to evaluate symptoms in both 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 was found to have good concurrent validity with the WURS scale, and fair concurrent validity with three self-report rating instruments: the ASRS, FAB, 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 DIVA-5's diagnostic accuracy was found to be comparable to the accuracy of clinical diagnoses given by two psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the specificity and sensitivity of previous screening tools like the ASRS and the WURS.
Treatment
Undiagnosed ADHD can have a significant impact on your life. This can affect your relationships, academic performance, and work. It can also affect the way you manage your day-to-day activities. A diagnosis can help identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide treatment options to improve your symptoms and cope mechanisms.
A trained professional (typically psychiatrists or psychologist) will have a structured discussion with you using the DIVA-5 tool to evaluate your current symptoms. It will ask you standard questions regarding your levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It will also examine your personal history and childhood experiences to give you an accurate picture of the symptoms you are experiencing.
This method is essential to a complete adult ADHD diagnosis. 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 and has high sensitivity and specificity. It has also been shown to have sound criterion validity when compared with self-report rating scales such as the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) and the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrent validity with these and fair 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 symptoms that are present in both the teen years and into adulthood, increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and allowing for an easier comparison of sociodemographic traits of the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also provides an opportunity to look at the effect of co-occurring disorders on presentation of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is unable to recommend medication, it could be necessary to make an appointment with a pediatrician or Psychiatrist for further assessment and/or therapy. They can then refer you to an expert Psychologist for more in-depth analysis of your symptoms and to assess for co-occurring diagnoses or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing comorbid conditions, such as depression or anxiety. This will help your Psychologist determine the best treatment plan.
Getting Started
adhd assessment glasgow of ADHD can change your life. It can provide answers to persistent issues and opens the way to effective treatment options. A thorough evaluation requires the expert knowledge of qualified healthcare professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment, a structured and extensive tool, helps to improve the adult ADHD diagnosis accuracy by analyzing symptoms at different life stages. It also helps identify patterns of behavior that persist and aids in distinguishing between ADHD symptoms and other conditions, such as anxiety or depression.
In an DIVA ADHD evaluation, a doctor will conduct an organized interview to ask a series of questions regarding symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention and the tendency to be impulsive. The doctor evaluates the frequency, severity and duration of these symptoms to understand how they impact an person's life and performance in several environments. This information is then used to develop an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA test is validated in comparison with other diagnostic tools. It has a high sensitivity in comparison to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs and psychiatrist's tests. It also has a high degree of validity in conducting an assessment of ADHD in five areas of daily function such as education and work, relationships home and family, social contacts, and leisure time and hobbies.
A well-validated DIVA assessment requires the participation of the person being evaluated and their close family members and their friends. This will help build trust and strengthen the therapeutic bond, which is essential to the success of your evaluation.
A psychologist or psychiatrist with expertise in the DIVA ADHD assessment can write an in-depth, professional report. This report will present the findings of the test and recommend a treatment plan that is based on the evidence.
If you think you or someone you love might have ADHD Contact us for an appointment. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained to use the DIVA ADHD assessments and is able to provide a comprehensive evaluation. She can then make an appointment with a specialist to create an effective treatment strategy. Be aware that the recommended treatment approach is a combination of medications and psychotherapy.