What Is the DIVA-5 ADHD Test and How Does It Work?

This guide explains how the DIVA-5 works, the kinds of questions it covers, and how your clinician uses your answers.

DIVA stands for Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults. It was developed by ADHD specialists in the Netherlands and is widely used by clinicians across the UK and internationally. The "5" means it's based on the DSM-5, one of the recognised sets of criteria used to diagnose ADHD.

It gives your assessment a clear structure, so nothing important is missed. But it still feels like a conversation about your experiences, in your own words.

The interview is made up of three parts.

Part 1: Attention

This part looks at how you focus, organise and remember things, such as:

• zoning out in conversations, meetings or while reading
• missing details or making careless mistakes
• putting off tasks that take sustained effort, like paperwork
• losing things or forgetting appointments

Part 2: Hyperactivity and impulsivity

In adults, hyperactivity is often less visible than in children. It can feel more like inner restlessness. Your clinician might ask about:

• fidgeting, or struggling to relax or wind down
• talking a lot, or interrupting without meaning to
• finding it hard to wait, such as in queues
• making quick decisions without thinking them through

Part 3: Onset and impact

The final part looks at when your difficulties began, and how they affect different areas of your life, now and in childhood. These include work and education, relationships and family life, friendships, free time, and self-confidence.

For each area, your clinician asks whether it applies to you now, and whether it applied when you were a child. The DIVA-5 includes everyday examples to help you recognise your own experiences. For example, you might be asked whether you:

• start lots of projects but find it hard to finish them
• rely on alarms, lists or other people to remember things
• were described by teachers as a daydreamer, or often told off for talking in class

You won't recognise yourself in every example, and that's expected. What matters is whether something happens often, and more than it does for most people your age. Your own examples are especially helpful.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, which means it begins in childhood, even if it isn't recognised until much later. For a diagnosis, several signs need to have been present before the age of 12.

Memories can be patchy, and some people coped at school through structure or hard work. This is very common. It can help to look back at old school reports, or ask a parent or relative what you were like as a child.

You can also invite someone who knows you well, such as a partner, parent or close friend, to join part of your appointment. This is helpful but optional.

The DIVA-5 usually takes around 90 minutes. At Raiys, it forms part of a video appointment of around 90 minutes to 2 hours.

You can take breaks whenever you need to, or ask for a question to be explained differently. Having a drink, notes or something to fiddle with nearby is completely fine.

The DIVA-5 doesn't produce a score or an automatic result. Your clinician uses it to understand the overall pattern, and considers whether:

• at least five of the nine signs of inattention, or of hyperactivity and impulsivity, are present in adulthood
• several signs were present before the age of 12
• they cause real difficulties in more than one area of life, such as work and home
• they aren't better explained by something else, such as anxiety, low mood or sleep problems

Your answers also help show which presentation of ADHD fits best: mainly inattentive, mainly hyperactive-impulsive, or combined. Your clinician brings this together with your questionnaires and the rest of your appointment, in line with DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria and NICE guidelines.

You don't need to study for the DIVA-5, but a little preparation can help you feel more settled:

• Note down a few examples. Think of times you've struggled at work, at home or in relationships.
• Ask someone close to you. They may have noticed patterns you haven't.
• Answer based on how things usually are. Try not to focus only on your best or worst days.
• Mention your coping strategies. Things like multiple alarms or detailed lists can hide how much effort everyday life takes.

At Raiys, our adult ADHD assessments are carried out online by an experienced, specialist ADHD team, and the DIVA-5 is a core part of every one. With us, you can expect:

• assessments that follow NICE guidelines
• a secure video appointment from your own home
• a detailed written report, usually within 14 days
• digital post-diagnostic support through BeChange

If you're in crisis right now, call 999, go to A&E, or call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time of day or night.

Thinking about an assessment? Find out more about our adult ADHD assessment.

The DIVA-5 may have a technical name, but at its heart it's a conversation about your story. Knowing what to expect can make it feel far more manageable.