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DIVA ADHD – Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis DIVA is a semi-structured, structured interview designed to improve ADHD assessments in adults. This study is designed to assess the validity of the criterion used in 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 day-to-day activities that comprise our lives. That's why it is so important that our ADHD assessments are holistic by examining how symptoms affect all aspects of life. In your assessment, Dr. Schilling will begin by collecting information about your symptoms and health background. She will then take the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview that is designed to assess the primary symptoms of ADD/ADHD as well as how they have affected your life. The DIVA is an interview tool for diagnosing ADHD. It was created by psychologists and psychiatrists to evaluate adult ADHD symptoms. It has been found to be extremely sensitive and precise. It is also extremely efficient in identifying people suffering from the disorder. It is able to raise awareness of, and diagnose the condition of adult ADHD in Korea because it is the only validated semi-structured, semi-structured diagnostic interview for adults suffering from ADHD available in the country. To perform the DIVA, a trained clinician usually psychologists or psychiatrists will ask questions about the core symptoms of ADHD such as inattention, hyperactivity, and an impulsive nature. The doctor will also examine the history of the individual and their childhood experiences and their influence on their behavior. The symptoms of ADHD are not sudden. They develop over a period of time from childhood to teenage years and into adulthood. The DIVA can be used to detect ADHD because it considers both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria during childhood and into adulthood and how these symptoms affect the individual's daily functioning in five distinct areas – employment, education and family/partner relationships and leisure/social activities, as well as self-esteem/confidence. Other screening tools, for instance the WURS brief that was compared with the CAADID demonstrated low sensitivity and negative predictive value. Diagnosis To determine ADHD in adults it is crucial to assess the signs and symptoms along with their history. This can be done through an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms and a neurological examination. It is also essential to look at the effects of the symptoms the person's work and life. This can be evaluated conducting a structured interview, the DIVA and, in certain cases, asking for information from relatives and friends. The DIVA interview is a semistructured interview originally designed for adults in the Netherlands. It has been revised to be used by adults in other countries as well, including Korea. diva assessment for adhd examined the criterion valid of the Korean version (DIVA-5), in a clinical sample consisting of adults suffering from ADHD. During the DIVA the clinician will ask about ADHD symptoms during childhood and adulthood. They will also ask the age of onset of symptoms and the extent of impairment caused by these symptoms. The doctor will also collect a variety of sociodemographic information and ask about any psychiatric-related co-morbidity. Patients were screened for psychiatric comorbidity 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 diagnosis of clinical ADHD was made by two experienced psychiatrists who used the DIVA-5, a structured diagnostic interview, to assess 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 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 diagnostic accuracy of the DIVA-5 was found to be similar to the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis established by two expert psychiatrists. This was in line with the sensitivity as well as specificity of earlier screening tools, like ASRS and WURS. Treatment If you're not aware of ADHD, it can significantly impact your life. It can impact your relationships, academic progress and work. It can also affect how you organize your day-to-day activities. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses as well as provide treatments that can improve your symptoms and coping mechanisms. A trained clinician, usually psychologist or psychiatrist will conduct a structured discussion with you regarding your symptoms currently using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. This will involve asking standardised questions about your levels inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It will also explore your personal history, including childhood experiences, 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. It also helps us determine the root of your symptoms, which will help inform your treatment. The DIVA assessment can be used to determine adult ADHD with high sensitivity and specificity. It has also been proven 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 a good concordance with these scales, and has fair validity with Sheehan’s Dysfunction Inventory. The DIVA assessment, in contrast to the more conventional methods of assessing ADHD in adulthood it focuses on identifying signs that manifest in childhood and adults. This improves the accuracy of diagnosis and allows for a more precise comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of the two groups. The DIVA evaluation also offers an opportunity to think about the effects of co-occurring disorders on presentation of ADHD symptoms. If your Psychologist is unable to recommend medication, it could be necessary to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician or Psychiatrist for further assessment and/or therapy. You can be referred psychologists who specialize in more thorough evaluation of your symptoms and to determine if there are any co-occurring diagnoses or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing for comorbid conditions such as depression and anxiety. This will allow your Psychologist to recommend the best treatment plan. Getting Started A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It provides answers to persistent issues and opens the way to effective treatment options. However, a good evaluation requires the expertise of qualified medical experts. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and comprehensive tool that can help 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 disorders that can exhibit similar symptoms in adults, such as anxiety or depression. In a DIVA ADHD evaluation, a practitioner will conduct an organized interview to ask a series of questions about the symptoms like hyperactivity, inattention, and the tendency to be impulsive. The clinician assesses the frequency, severity and duration of these symptoms in order to understand how they impact an individual's life and functioning in various environments. This information can then be used to develop an accurate diagnosis. The DIVA assessment is validated in comparison with other diagnostic tools. It has a high sensitivity compared to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs and psychiatrist's tests. It also has excellent reliability when assessing ADHD in five areas of daily functioning: work and education, relationships, home and family social connections, leisure time and hobbies. A well-validated DIVA assessment requires participation from the person being evaluated as well as their close family members and friends. This helps to establish trust and a therapeutic bond which is essential for the success of the assessment. A psychiatrist or psychologist with experience in the DIVA ADHD assessment can give a detailed, professional report. This report will outline the findings of the assessment and recommend a treatment program based on the evidence. Please contact us to set up an appointment if you think you or someone you know might be suffering from ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and can provide an evaluation. She will refer you to a specialist who will formulate an appropriate treatment strategy. Be aware that the treatment plan recommended is a combination of medication and psychotherapy.