Overwatering will not induce dormancy, but will cause many plants, especially indoor plants that would normally be dormant this time of year, to lose their leaves.

I would be patient.

larry_gene, did you mean to type 'OUTdoor plants'? I'm not sure why the OP would have this plant inside as it is perfectly hardy and would be leafless and resting if it was outside now. Trying to keep a hardy shrub growing artificially all year round is not likely to promote its health. We don't know the OP's climate and I know nothing about very cold winters but my guess would be to keep this thing as cool as possible for the time being and harden it off to outdoor conditions asap come spring.

The OP posting reads in part: "...growing indoors in a perlite and a coco/peat blend.".

I agree that they should be hardened off in spring and then remain outside.

I did a bit of research on this 'California' native 'wild plant'. It grows wild in the canyons. That said, the plant should not be grown indoors at all. Yes, you can start the seeds indoors, but they seem to propagate by spreading their own seeds. From what I have read, this plant is related to Ribes, but is not a hybrid. Mrs. G

I misunderstood you, larry_gene, I thought you were referring to the true nature of this Ribes, not the way the OP is keeping it at present.

No problem. The above plants are likely behaving normally for a small deciduous shrub.

Thank you everybody for the input. Since my original post, the plants were gradually moved outside. They are leafless, but look healthy. They have a decent amount of healthy looking buds that I expect will grow out.

I started them indoors from seed and the reason they stayed indoors so long was for experimentation. I am a programmer and was testing homemade analog moisture sensors on drought tolerant plants, in a growing medium that isn't typically that conducive for good soil moisture sensor readings. The goal is to be able to grow them in a hydroponic rolling patio planter, and both remotely monitor and adjust watering via the internet.

Also, they really aren't as abundant resources insinuate they are. I decided to grow from seed so that I would have the cultivar that I wanted, and not the much less tasty but more common golden currant aureum aureum that nurseries more typically offer. The local native nurseries did not have the cultivar available or failed to get back to me.