A free treatment program to help young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their families will be offered through a study at the University of Florida starting this spring.

The 12-to-18-week program is for children between the ages of 4 and 6 and is focused on behavioral therapy between children and their parents. The program does not include any medication.

"We think the kids that get help early won't have to be on medication in the future," said lead researcher Sheila Eyberg, a distinguished professor in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions' Department of Clinical and Health Psychology.

The treatment program will use "Parent-Child Interaction Therapy" (PCIT), a nationally used therapy model developed by Eyberg to promote behavioral improvements in children with ADHD and to develop a manageable relationship between the children and their parents.

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