James Whitworth is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Central Florida. He has taught graduate clinical social work courses for ten years. Whitworth has also provided private practice counseling for military members, veterans, and their families with depression, anxiety, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Lt Colonel (Retired) Whitworth served as a clinical social worker and mental health officer in the US Air Force for 21 years. He is the former Chief of Air Force Family Research at the Pentagon and he also worked three years as the Chief of Air Force Family Advocacy Operations and Research. Whitworth has presented and published research on trauma response/recovery/resilience, PTSD assessment/treatment, family violence, military social work education, and building community capacity within military populations. Whitworth also taught behavioral medicine and research to Family Medicine Residents at Eglin Air Force base for six years.
Credentials
- Ph.D., Doctor of Philosophy, Social Work, Florida State University
- LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Areas of Specialty
- Military members and veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Assessment and treatment of trauma responses
- Military social work education programs
- Alternative treatments for PTSD
- Service Dogs for PTSD
- Equine Therapy for PTSD
Research Grants
Program Evaluation Services for K9 Partners for Patriots
Program Evaluation Services for K9 Partners for Patriots
At K9 Partners for Patriots, their method is backed by promising research
A 2019 report led by researchers from the University of Central Florida’s School of Social Work showed “statistically significant improvement” in all 12 PTSD symptoms examined.
UCF Awards 137 Faculty With Promotion and Tenure
Consideration for promotion and tenure takes nearly an entire academic year as faculty are evaluated on three main areas: research, teaching and service. Eighty-nine UCF faculty received promotions and another 48...
Genius Foundation Awards $300,000 To UCF Interdisciplinary Health Research
Eight interdisciplinary faculty research projects — on health topics including pain management, improving provider-patient communication, and intimate partner violence — have received about $300,000 in grant funding through a new...
5 Things to Know: Promising New Alternative Therapies for Struggling Veterans
It’s an alarming reality: Each day in the United States, 22 veterans or military members die from suicide. But Dr. James Whitworth, a UCF associate professor of counseling and military social...
Social Work Professor Helps Show Efficacy of Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD
James Whitworth, Ph.D., LCSW with his dog, Cowgirl, who is definitely not a service dog. James Whitworth, associate professor in the School of Social Work, has devoted his career to...
External News Media
- Shelter dogs help veterans heal trauma of war, Orlando Sentinel
