The History Of Diva ADHD Assessment

DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis

DIVA is a semi-structured interview that has been developed to enhance ADHD assessments in adults. This study will evaluate the validity of the criteria used in DIVA 2.0 and its validity in conjunction 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

The symptoms of ADD/ADHD impact all aspects of life from relationships and career advancement to the everyday tasks that are part of our lives. It is important that our ADHD assessment takes a comprehensive perspective, looking at how symptoms affect all aspects of our lives. During your evaluation, Dr. Schilling will begin by obtaining details about your symptoms as well as health history. She will then conduct the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview designed to evaluate the primary symptoms of ADD/ADHD, and the impact these symptoms have had on your life.

The DIVA is an interview tool designed by psychotherapists and psychiatrists to assess symptoms of adult ADHD. It has been demonstrated to have high sensitivity and specificity. It is highly effective at identifying those suffering from the disorder. It has the potential to increase awareness and diagnosis of the condition of 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 and experienced clinician, typically psychiatrists will inquire about the primary symptoms of ADHD. These include hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsive nature. The clinician will also analyze the background of the person, including their childhood experiences and their influence on their behavior. The symptoms of ADHD are not sudden. They develop over a time from childhood to teenage years and adulthood.

The DIVA can be used to detect ADHD due to its consideration of both the DSM-IV ADHD criteria during childhood and into adulthood, and how these symptoms have affected the person's daily functioning across five different areas: education, employment and family/partner relationships and leisure/social activities, as well as self-esteem/confidence. As a contrast other screening tools, such as the WURS-brief which was compared to CAADID and showed low sensitiveness and negative predictive value.

Diagnosis

In order to determine the presence of ADHD in adults, it is crucial to evaluate the symptoms and their history. This can be accomplished through an extensive interview regarding childhood symptoms and an assessment of neurocognitive capacity. It is also crucial to look at the effects of the symptoms the individual's life and work. This can be assessed by using a structured interview, the DIVA and, in certain cases, getting information from relatives 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 revised to be used by adults in other countries including Korea.  how to get adhd assessment  examined the criterion valid of the Korean version (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample consisting of adults suffering from ADHD.

During the DIVA the doctor will inquire about ADHD symptoms in the early years and in adulthood. They will also inquire about the age of onset of symptoms and the extent of impairment triggered by these symptoms. The doctor also collects a diverse set of sociodemographic data and asks about any psychiatric co-morbidity.

The MINI-S and Version 5.0.0 The MINI-S plus Version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI) as well as the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to determine if a psychiatric co-morbidity existed. A diagnosis of clinical ADHD was established by two experienced psychiatrists who utilized the DIVA-5, a structured diagnostic interview, to determine the severity of symptoms in adulthood and childhood and determine the duration of those 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 to the WURS scale, and fair validity when compared with three self-report ratings instruments that 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 DIVA-5's diagnostic accuracy was found to be comparable to the accuracy of a clinical diagnoses that were made by two psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the sensitivity and specificity of earlier screening tools such as ASRS and WURS.

Treatment

If you have an undiagnosed ADHD it can greatly affect your life. This can be in many areas, from relationships, academic progress and work to the simple task of organising daily living. A diagnosis can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide treatment options to alleviate your symptoms and provide coping mechanisms.

A trained clinician, usually psychologist or psychiatrist will conduct an in-depth interview with you about your symptoms currently using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. It will ask you standard questions regarding your levels of hyperactivity, inattention, and the tendency to be impulsive. It will also examine your personal history and childhood experiences to get a complete picture of the symptoms you are experiencing.

This method is crucial to a complete adult ADHD diagnosis. This will help us better know your symptoms and help you with your treatment.

The DIVA assessment can be used to identify adult ADHD with high specificity and sensitivity. It has also been demonstrated to be valid as a criterion when compared to self-report rating scales like the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) and 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 assessment focuses on identifying and discussing the symptoms that can be observed in childhood and in adulthood, thus increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and allowing an easier comparison of sociodemographic traits of the two groups. The DIVA assessment can also be used to assess the effect of co-existing disorders on the presentation and severity of ADHD symptoms.

If your Psychologist is unable to recommend medication, it may be necessary to schedule an appointment with a Pediatrician or Psychiatrist for a further assessment and/or therapy. You can be referred psychologists who specialize in more in-depth assessment of your symptoms and to determine if there are co-occurring or differential diagnoses. This includes assessing comorbid disorders, such as anxiety or depression. This will allow your Psychologist to recommend the best treatment plan.

Getting Started

Being diagnosed with ADHD can have a profound impact on your life, offering explanations for long-standing issues and opening doors to effective treatment options. A successful evaluation requires the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. 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 identifies patterns of behavior that are persistent and helps distinguish between ADHD symptoms and other disorders like anxiety or depression.

In the DIVA ADHD assessment, a clinician conducts a structured interview to ask an array of questions about symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and the tendency to be impulsive. The clinician assesses the severity, frequency and duration of symptoms to determine how they affect the person in various settings. This information can then be utilized to establish a precise diagnosis.

The DIVA assessment has been verified against other diagnostic tools and has shown high sensitivity in comparison to the WURS-brief and CAA-DID as well as an assessment by a psychiatrist. It has also excellent validity when assessing ADHD in five areas of daily function: work and education, relationships with family and home, social contacts, and leisure time and hobbies.

To be able to conduct an accurate DIVA assessment, the individual being assessed and their family and friends need to be present. This will help build trust and strengthen the therapeutic connection, which is essential to the success of your assessment.

An experienced psychologist or psychiatrist who has been trained in the use of the DIVA ADHD assessment will be able to provide a comprehensive report. The report will detail the findings of the assessment and recommend a treatment program that is based on the data.

Please contact us to set up an appointment if you or someone you love may be suffering from ADHD. Our doctor Kate Schilling is trained in the DIVA ADHD assessment and is able to provide an evaluation. She can then make an appointment with a specialist to create an effective treatment plan. Please be aware that an amalgamation of medication and psychotherapy is the best treatment.