UF researchers to study behavioral treatment for ADHD

This spring, researchers from the University of Florida will offer a no-cost behavioral treatment for young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and their families.

"ADHD often leads to serious problems for children such as struggling to pay attention in school, mastering basic skills and getting along with others," said Sheila Eyberg, Ph.D., a distinguished professor in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions' department of clinical and health psychology. "Many children with ADHD also develop other behavior problems that intensify as they grow older. The good news is that behavior problems can be treated successfully when children are still young."

ADHD affects an estimated 4.4 million children and families.

The UF treatment program will use Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, a step-by-step, live-coached behavioral parent training model developed by Eyberg and used in clinics across the country. Along with co-investigators Stephen Boggs, Ph.D., an associate professor in clinical and health psychology, and Regina Bussing, M.D., a professor of pediatric psychiatry in the College of Medicine, Eyberg and the UF team will offer PCIT to more than 120 families with children with ADHD in the Gainesville area. Their work is supported by a five-year $2.9 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

"Our past research shows that PCIT can improve ADHD behaviors, delay the need for medication and prevent more serious behavior problems from developing," Eyberg said.

While PCIT has traditionally been offered as an individual treatment, the current treatment program will test the effectiveness of conducting PCIT in small groups.

"Our goal is to discover which approach works best," Eyberg said. "We know parents enjoy individual attention from their therapist, but perhaps parents would like sharing the time with two or three other families as well."

If PCIT group treatment is just as successful as individual treatment, the therapy could be offered to more children and families at a lower cost, Eyberg said.

Children who are eligible for the PCIT study should be between the ages of 4 and 6 years and qualify for a diagnosis of ADHD during study assessment. For more information on the no-cost treatment program, call 352-273-5236.