DIVA ADHD - Improving Adult ADHD Diagnosis<br /><br />DIVA is a semi-structured interview that has been developed to enhance ADHD assessments for adults. This study will evaluate the validity of the criterion used to determine DIVA 2.0 as well as its concomitant validity with Conners Adult ADHD Diagnosis Interview for DSM-IV criteria.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Signs and symptoms<br /><br />ADD/ADHD symptoms affect all aspects of our lives from relationships to career advancement, and the daily tasks we perform. This is why it's crucial that our ADHD assessments adopt a holistic approach, looking at how symptoms affect every aspect of our lives. Dr. Schilling will begin by evaluating your symptoms and medical history. She will then conduct the DIVA 5 assessment, a semi-structured interview that is designed to assess both the core symptoms of ADD/ADHD and how those symptoms have impacted your life.<br /><br />The DIVA is an instrument for diagnostic interviews developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to determine adult ADHD symptoms. It has been shown to have high sensitivity and a high degree of specificity. It is also extremely effective in identifying those with the disorder. It can help raise awareness and diagnose adult ADHD in Korea because it is the only validated semistructured diagnosis interview available in the country.<br /><br />To perform the DIVA the trained clinician typically psychologist or psychiatrist will ask questions about the core symptoms of ADHD such as hyperactivity, inattention, and an impulsive nature. The clinician will also look at the background of the person and their childhood experiences and their impact on their current behaviours. The symptoms of ADHD are not sudden. They develop over a period of time, from childhood to teen years and adulthood.<br /><br />The DIVA can effectively identify people suffering from ADHD by taking into account both the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD during childhood and into adulthood and how the symptoms have affected an person's daily functioning in five distinct areas of life: education work, family/partner relationships, family and leisure time/social activities, and self-esteem and self-confidence. <a href="https://www.iampsychiatry.com/private-adhd-assessment">getting assessed for adhd Iam Psychiatry</a> to this other screening tools, such as the WURS-brief which was compared with the CAADID and showed low sensitiveness and negative predictive value.<br /><br />Diagnosis<br /><br />In order to determine the presence of ADHD in adults, it is essential to determine the severity of the symptoms and their history. This can be done by a comprehensive interview about childhood symptoms and a neurocognitive assessment. It is also essential to consider the impact of the symptoms on the person's life and work. This can be assessed by conducting a structured interview, called the DIVA, and in some instances, asking for information from friends and family members.<br /><br />The DIVA is an interview with a semi-structured format that was first developed for use with adults in the Netherlands. It has been re-edited to be used in other countries, including Korea. This study examined the validity of the Korean version of DIVA (DIVA-5) in a clinical sample of adult patients with ADHD.<br /><br />During the DIVA the doctor asks about the presence of ADHD symptoms in childhood and adulthood, the time at which the symptoms first manifest, as well as the extent of impairment resulting from these symptoms. The clinician will also collect various sociodemographic data and inquire about any psychiatric-related co-morbidity.<br /><br />The MINI-S and Version 5.0.0, the Brief Alcohol Related Neuropsychological Impaired Screening Instrument (BEARNI) along with the Frontal Assessment Battery were used to detect psychiatric co-morbidity. A clinical diagnosis of ADHD was established by two experienced psychiatrists who used the structured diagnostic interview DIVA-5 to evaluate symptoms in both adulthood and childhood and determine the duration of these symptoms.<br /><br />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 to three self-report ratings instruments that include the ASRS (self-report rating), FAB (self-report rating) and Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.<br /><br /><br /><br />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 diagnosing ADHD with the DIVA-5 was found to be similar to the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis made by two experienced psychiatrists. This was in accordance with the sensitivity as well as specificity of earlier screening tools like ASRS and WURS.<br /><br />Treatment<br /><br />Undiagnosed ADHD can have a major impact on your life. This could be in a variety of aspects, from relationships to academic progress and work to the simple tasks of organising your day-to-day life. A diagnosis can help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses as well as offer treatments that can help you manage your symptoms and mechanisms.<br /><br />A trained clinician, usually a psychiatrist or psychologist, will conduct a structured discussion with you about your symptoms currently using the DIVA-5 assessment tool. This will consist of standardised questions regarding your levels of hyperactivity, attention deficit and an impulsiveness. It will also look into your personal history and childhood experiences to give you an accurate picture of your symptoms.<br /><br />This is essential to ensure a thorough diagnosis of adult ADHD. This allows us to better comprehend your symptoms and guide your treatment.<br /><br />The DIVA assessment is an extremely efficient method of diagnosing adults with ADHD with high sensitivity and precision. It has also been proven to have sound criterion validity when compared with self-report scales for rating such as the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) and the ADHD-Rating Scale. It has good concurrency with these and fair validity with Sheehan's Dysfunction Inventory.<br /><br />The DIVA evaluation, unlike more traditional methods of assessing ADHD in adulthood, focuses on identifying symptoms that are present in childhood and adults. This increases the accuracy of diagnoses and allows for a more accurate comparison of sociodemographic traits between the two groups. The DIVA assessment also permits consideration of the effects of co-existing disorders on the presentation and severity of ADHD symptoms.<br /><br />If your Psychologist is not able to prescribe treatment, it might be necessary to set up an appointment with a Pediatrician or Psychiatrist for a further assessment and/or therapy. They will then refer you to a specialist Psychologist for further in-depth analysis of your symptoms, and to determine if there are any co-occurring diagnoses and differentials. This includes assessing any comorbid disorders, such as anxiety or depression. This will help your Psychologist suggest a suitable treatment plan.<br /><br />Getting Started<br /><br />A diagnosis of ADHD can alter your life. It can provide answers to persistent problems and opens the way to effective treatment options. A successful evaluation requires the expertise of qualified healthcare providers. The DIVA ADHD assessment is a structured and extensive tool that assists to improve the accuracy of adult ADHD diagnosis by assessing symptoms across various life stages. It also detects patterns of behavior that remain and assists in determining the difference between ADHD symptoms and other disorders, such as depression or anxiety.<br /><br />In the course of a DIVA ADHD evaluation, a clinician will use an organized interview to ask a series questions about symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsiveness. The doctor evaluates the frequency, severity and duration of these symptoms to determine how they impact an individual's life and how they function in several environments. This information can be used to create an accurate diagnosis.<br /><br />The DIVA assessment is validated in comparison to other diagnostic tools. It shows high sensitivity when compared to CAA-DIDs, WURS-briefs and psychiatrist's tests. It also has high accuracy when measuring ADHD symptoms in five areas of daily functioning: work and education as well as relationships with family and home social contact; free time and hobbies.<br /><br />A well-validated DIVA assessment requires the participation of the individual being assessed as well as their closest family members and their friends. This helps to establish trust and strengthen the therapeutic bond that is crucial to the success of the evaluation.<br /><br />A psychiatrist or psychologist with expertise in the DIVA ADHD assessment can give a detailed professional report. The report will detail the results of the assessment and recommend a treatment plan that is based upon evidence.<br /><br />If you think you or a loved one might be suffering from ADHD, please contact us to make an appointment. Our doctor Kate Schilling has been trained in the use of DIVA ADHD assessments and can provide a comprehensive evaluation. She can then provide a referral to a specialist to create an effective treatment strategy. Please be aware that a combination of medication and psychotherapy is the most effective treatment.<br /><br />