TL;DR
DIVA-5 is the diagnostic interview recommended by the Danish Health Authority for adult ADHD assessment. The interview systematically reviews all DSM-5 criteria, both current symptoms and childhood symptoms. It takes approximately 2 hours, and we recommend bringing a relative.
DIVA-5 (Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults) is a semi-structured diagnostic interview that systematically reviews all 18 DSM-5 criteria for ADHD. It was developed by DIVA Foundation and is recommended by the Danish Health Authority as the preferred assessment tool for adult ADHD in Denmark.
DIVA-5 was developed by J.J.S. Kooij and M.H. Francken at DIVA Foundation in the Netherlands, and is the most widely used diagnostic interview for adult ADHD. According to the Danish Health Authority’s national clinical guidelines for ADHD in adults (Sundhedsstyrelsen, 2015), DIVA-5 is specifically recommended as part of the assessment. The interview covers all 18 DSM-5 symptoms — both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.
What is DIVA-5?
DIVA-5 is a diagnostic interview designed specifically to assess ADHD in adults. It builds on the DSM-5 criteria, which divide ADHD into 18 core symptoms: 9 for inattention and 9 for hyperactivity and impulsivity.
The interview is semi-structured. This means the clinician follows a fixed framework but asks follow-up questions to get concrete examples from your daily life. DIVA-5 covers both current symptoms and childhood symptoms (before age 12), because DSM-5 requires that symptoms were present since childhood.
A typical DIVA-5 session lasts approximately 2 hours.
How does the interview work?
The clinician goes through all 18 DSM-5 criteria systematically. For each symptom, you are asked about both current examples and childhood examples. You are asked to provide concrete examples from your daily life — work, studies, household, relationships.
An informant — typically a parent, sibling, or someone else who knew you as a child — participates in the interview to validate childhood symptoms. The informant’s perspective is valuable because many adults with ADHD have difficulty remembering their own childhood precisely.
If you cannot bring an informant, we find alternative methods: school reports, old medical records, or detailed questionnaires can supplement.
The clinician scores each symptom as present or absent, both for childhood and adulthood. The score is combined with clinical judgment to reach a diagnostic conclusion.
Why does the Danish Health Authority recommend DIVA-5?
According to the Danish Health Authority’s national clinical guidelines for ADHD in adults (Sundhedsstyrelsen, 2015), DIVA-5 is specifically recommended as a diagnostic interview. There are several reasons for this:
The interview has high reliability and validity across cultures and languages. Its systematic coverage of all DSM-5 criteria prevents symptoms from being overlooked, and the structure ensures consistency without sacrificing clinical nuance. Because DIVA-5 separates childhood and adult symptoms, it fulfils DSM-5’s requirement that symptoms must have been present before age 12.
DIVA-5 is not a screening test you can take at home. It is a clinical tool that requires a trained clinician. That is precisely why it is so reliable.
How to prepare
The most important thing is to bring an informant who knew you as a child — a parent or sibling is ideal. Also think about concrete examples of symptoms in your daily life: work, home, relationships. School reports or old evaluations can be useful if you have them.
There are no right or wrong answers. DIVA-5 is a conversation, not an exam — describe your actual experience.
DIVA-5 at Alethia
DIVA-5 is step 2 of our five-step ADHD assessment protocol. Before DIVA-5, we always conduct a clinical interview and screening (step 1), where we also screen for anxiety, depression, autism, and other conditions that can mimic or coexist with ADHD.
The DIVA-5 session itself lasts approximately 2 hours and costs 3,500 DKK. The interview is conducted by a clinical psychologist.
The results are discussed in a feedback session (step 3), where you receive a written diagnostic report with conclusion and treatment plan.
Read more about the full process on our ADHD assessment page.
Frequently asked questions
We prefer DIVA-5 to take place in person at the clinic, but under certain circumstances it can be conducted online, e.g. due to geographical distance. The informant can participate via video.
We strongly recommend it, as childhood information strengthens the diagnostic process. But we understand it's not always possible, and in that case we find alternative methods such as school reports, old medical records, or detailed questionnaires.
Approximately 2 hours. The interview is thorough and covers all 18 DSM-5 symptoms for both childhood and adulthood.
DIVA-5 is a diagnostic interview, not a self-report test. It requires a trained clinician who evaluates your answers in a clinical context. Online ADHD tests like ASRS are screening tools that provide an indication, but not a diagnosis.
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We use DIVA-5 as part of our thorough assessment process. You can book directly.