DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis
DIVA is a semistructured interview developed to enhance ADHD assessment in adults. This study will evaluate the validity of the criterion used to determine DIVA 2.0 as well as its concurrent validity compared to 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 advancement in our careers and the everyday tasks we have to perform. It is essential that our ADHD assessment takes a holistic perspective, looking at how symptoms impact all aspects of life. Dr. Schilling will begin by assessing your symptoms and medical history. She will then conduct the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview designed to examine the main symptoms of ADD/ADHD as well as how they have affected your life.
The DIVA is an interview tool for diagnosing ADHD. It was developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to assess adult ADHD symptoms. It has been proven to be highly sensitive and specific. It is also highly efficient in identifying people suffering from the disorder. It is able to raise awareness of, and the diagnosis of the condition of adult ADHD in Korea, as it is the only validated semi-structured diagnostic test for adults with ADHD available in the country.
A trained and experienced clinician, typically psychiatrists will inquire about the most prominent symptoms of ADHD. These include hyperactivity, inattention and the tendency to be impulsive. The doctor will also dig into the person's past, looking at their childhood experiences and how those may have affected their current behaviours. This is because the symptoms of ADHD do not just appear suddenly, they develop throughout one's childhood, teen years, and into adulthood.
The DIVA can be used to detect ADHD due to its consideration of both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria in the early years and later in adulthood and how these signs have affected the person's daily functioning across five different areas: education, employment and family/partner relationships and leisure/social activities, as well as confidence and self-esteem. Contrary to this other screening tools, such as the WURS-brief which was compared to the CAADID, showed poor sensitivity and negative predictive values.
Diagnosis
In order to diagnose ADHD in adults, it is crucial to determine the severity of the symptoms and their history. This can be done by conducting a thorough interview about childhood symptoms and an assessment of the neurocognitive. It is also crucial to consider the effects of the symptoms the person's work and life. This can be assessed by conducting a structured interview, the DIVA and, in some cases, obtaining information from family members and friends.
The DIVA interview is a semistructured interview first developed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been revised for use with adult patients in other countries including Korea. This study examined the criterion applicable to the Korean version (DIVA-5) using the clinical sample of adults with ADHD.
During the DIVA The clinician will inquire about the presence of ADHD symptoms during childhood and adulthood, the age at which symptoms begin to manifest, and the extent of impairment resulting from those symptoms. The clinician also collects a variety of sociodemographic information and asks about any mental health comorbidity.
The MINI-S plus Version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI) and the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to screen for psychiatric co-morbidity. Two psychiatrists who are experienced utilized the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to determine a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. They evaluated symptoms in adulthood as well as 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 has fair validity when compared with three self-report ratings instruments: 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 comparable with the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis formulated by two renowned psychiatrists. This was in line with the specificity and sensitivity of earlier screening tools, such as the ASRS and the WURS.
Treatment
If you have an undiagnosed ADHD, it can significantly impact your life. It can impact your relationships, academic progress and work. how to get a adhd assessment can also impact the way you organize your daily life. A diagnosis can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses as well as offer treatment options that improve your symptoms and coping mechanisms.
A qualified clinician, typically psychologist or psychiatrist, will conduct a structured interview with you about your current symptoms using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. It will include standardised questions about your levels of hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. It will also examine your personal history and childhood experiences to give you a complete picture of the symptoms you are experiencing.
This approach is essential for a thorough adult ADHD diagnosis. It also helps us determine the root of your symptoms, which will help guide your treatment.
The DIVA assessment is an extremely effective way of diagnosing adult ADHD with excellent sensitivity and specificity. It has also been 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 a good concordance with these scales and reasonable validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.
In contrast to the more conventional methods for assessing ADHD in adults, the DIVA evaluation is focused on identifying and discussing symptoms that can be observed in childhood and adulthood, thereby increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and enabling an easier comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of both groups. The DIVA assessment also permits consideration of the effect of co-existing disorders on the symptoms and severity of ADHD symptoms.
If your Psychologist is not able to prescribe treatment, it might be necessary to make an appointment with a pediatrician or Psychiatrist for further assessment 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 is any co-occurring or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing co-occurring conditions, such as depression or anxiety. This will enable your Psychologist to suggest the best treatment plan.
Getting Started
Being diagnosed with ADHD can have a profound impact on your life providing explanations for long-standing problems and opening the door to effective treatment options. However, a reliable assessment requires the expertise of qualified medical professionals. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and extensive tool that assists to improve the accuracy of an adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across different life stages. It also detects patterns of behavior that remain and assists in determining the difference between ADHD symptoms and other disorders, such as anxiety or depression.
In the DIVA ADHD assessment, a clinician uses a structured interview to ask an array of questions about symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. The clinician evaluates the severity, frequency and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect an person in various settings. This information can be used to create an accurate diagnosis.
The DIVA assessment has been verified against other diagnostic tools and has shown high sensitivity in comparison to the WURS-brief, CAA DID and a psychiatrist's assessment. It has also excellent validity in conducting an assessment of ADHD in five areas of daily function: work and education, relationships home and family, social contacts, and free time and hobbies.
To be able to conduct an accurate DIVA assessment, the individual being evaluated as well as their family and friends must be present. This will help build trust and a strong therapeutic bond, which is essential to the success of your assessment.
how do i get my son assessed for adhd qualified psychologist or psychiatrist who has been certified in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment will be able to give a thorough report. This report will present the results of the assessment and provide a treatment strategy that is based on evidence.
If you suspect that you or someone you love may 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 can then make an appointment with a specialist to create an effective treatment strategy. Be aware that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the recommended treatment.