Dr Tanya Rihtman

BSc (OT), MSc (OT), PhD

Principal Lecturer in Occupational Therapy; Occupational Therapy Programme Lead

School of Sport, Nutrition and Allied Health Professions

trihtman@brookes.ac.uk

Role

I am a paediatric occupational therapist, and principal lecturer in occupational therapy. As the occupational therapy programme lead, I am responsible for maintaining oversight of the delivery of all occupational therapy programmes. I lead on the BSc ‘Foundations for Occupational Therapy’ and the MSc ‘Perspectives on Occupation, Health and Wellbeing’ modules, and contribute to teaching on modules related to paediatric occupational therapy and leadership and management. Additionally, I supervise research students undertaking projects from BSc to doctoral level.

Teaching and supervision

Supervision

Current PhD supervised students:

Elizabeth Fitzpatrick
Julie Booth

Current MRes students:

Alysia Martindale

Research

Research interests

Issues related to childhood development (including motor function, sensory function, cultural influences on development and standardised assessment and identification of children and young people at risk of developmental difficulties)
Occupational therapy (theory and pedagogy)
Occupational science

Centres and institutes

Centre for Movement, Occupational and Rehabilitation Sciences (MOReS)

Groups

Occupational Sciences

Projects as Principal Investigator, or Lead Academic if project is led by another Institution

A study examining the impact of an occupational therapy intervention on the support for children who are delayed in their readiness to write (led by East Kent Hospital University Foundation Trust) (01/04/2025 - 31/03/2031), funded by: National Institute for Health Research

Publications

Murray F, Hess, K, Rihtman T, Environmentally sustainable person-centred care: Occupational therapy students’ attitudes, perceptions and self-perceived preparedness for practice
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 72 (1) (2024) ISSN: 0045-0766 eISSN: 1440-1630 Environmentally sustainable person-centred care: Occupational therapy students’ attitudes, perceptions and self-perceived preparedness for practice Open Access version on RADAR
Rihtman T, Morgan M, Booth J, The Development of Pre-registration Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions of Research and Evidence-Based Practice: A Q-Methodology Study
Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 31 (1) (2024) ISSN: 1103-8128 eISSN: 1651-2014 The Development of Pre-registration Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions of Research and Evidence-Based Practice: A Q-Methodology Study Open Access version on RADAR
Hua J, Rihtman T, Peng Y, Wang T, Su Y, Du W, Assessing the usefulness of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire-Chinese (LDCDQ-CH) in Chinese preschoolers: A sex- and age-Specific analysis
Frontiers in Psychology 15 (2024) ISSN: 1664-1078 eISSN: 1664-1078 Assessing the usefulness of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire-Chinese (LDCDQ-CH) in Chinese preschoolers: A sex- and age-Specific analysis Open Access version on RADAR
Bird D, Rihtman T, Using Sensory Integration Therapies to explore clinical expertise in evidence-based knowledge translation
Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy [online first] (2024) ISSN: 0008-4174 eISSN: 1911-9828 Using Sensory Integration Therapies to explore clinical expertise in evidence-based knowledge translation Open Access version on RADAR
Hess K, Rihtman T, Moving from Theory to Practice in Occupational Therapy Education for Planetary Health: A Theoretical View
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 70 (4) (2023) pp.460-470 ISSN: 0045-0766 eISSN: 1440-1630 Moving from Theory to Practice in Occupational Therapy Education for Planetary Health: A Theoretical View Open Access version on RADAR
Jover M, Ray-Kaeser S, Memoli N, Bertrand A, Albaret J-M, Rihtman T, Psychometric properties of the French European Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-FE): a pilot study
Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics 43 (3) (2022) pp.287-302 ISSN: 0194-2638 eISSN: 1541-3144 Psychometric properties of the French European Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-FE): a pilot study Open Access version on RADAR
Magalhaes LC, Moraes BLC, Barbosa VM, Cardoso AA, Rihtman T, Cross-cultural validation of the Brazilian Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-BR) for preschool children
Research in Developmental Disabilities 129 (2022) ISSN: 0891-4222 eISSN: 1873-3379 Cross-cultural validation of the Brazilian Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-BR) for preschool children Open Access version on RADAR
Fu C-P, Tseng M-H, Cermak S, Chung T-H, Chen Y-L, Lu L, Shieh J-Y, Rihtman T, Psychometric properties of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire-Taiwan
American Journal of Occupational Therapy 76 (2) (2022) ISSN: 0272-9490 eISSN: 1943-7676 Psychometric properties of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire-Taiwan Open Access version on RADAR
Rihtman T, Gadsby N, Porter J, Supporting the social-emotional needs of children and young people with Developmental Coordination Disorder: occupational therapists’ perceptions of practice in England
British Journal of Occupational Therapy 85 (9) (2021) pp.653-661 ISSN: 0308-0226 eISSN: 1477-6006 Supporting the social-emotional needs of children and young people with Developmental Coordination Disorder: occupational therapists’ perceptions of practice in England Open Access version on RADAR
Fitzpatrick B, Panagamuwa C, Moss Levy L, Rihtman T, The impact of hearing loss on speech outcomes in 5-year-old children with cleft palate ± lip: A longitudinal cohort study
International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology 149 (2021) ISSN: 0165-5876 The impact of hearing loss on speech outcomes in 5-year-old children with cleft palate ± lip: A longitudinal cohort study Open Access version on RADAR
Rihtman T, Green D, Construct validity of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire UK (LDCDQ-UK)
The Dyspraxia Foundation Professional Journal 17 (2020)
Fitzpatrick B, Coad J, Sell D, Rihtman T, Assessing speech at three years of age in the cleft palate population: a scoping review of assessment practices
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders 55 (2) (2020) pp.165-187 ISSN: 1368-2822 eISSN: 1460-6984 Assessing speech at three years of age in the cleft palate population: a scoping review of assessment practices Open Access version on RADAR
Booth J, Rihtman T, Leddington Wright S, Taylor MC, Price M, Height matters: The experiences of British very tall young adults in relation to managing everyday occupations
Journal of Occupational Science 26 (2) (2019) pp.233-244 ISSN: 1442-7591 eISSN: 2158-1576
Rihtman T, Parush S, Suitability of the Miller Function & Participation Scales (M-FUN) for use with Israeli children
American Journal of Occupational Therapy 68e1 (2014) pp.e1-e12 ISSN: ‎0272-9490 eISSN: 1943-7676
Rihtman T, Parush S, Ornoy A, Developmental outcomes at preschool age after fetal exposure to valproic acid and lamotrigine: cognitive, motor, sensory and behavioral function
Reproductive Toxicology 41 (2013) pp.115-125 ISSN: 0890-6238 eISSN: 1873-1708
Rihtman T, Parush S, Ornoy A, Preliminary findings of the developmental effects of in utero exposure to topiramate
Reproductive Toxicology 34 (3) (2012) pp.308-311 ISSN: 0890-6238 eISSN: 1873-1708
Rihtman T, Wilson BN, Parush S, Development of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire for preschoolers and preliminary evidence of its psychometric properties in Israel
Research in Developmental Disabilities 32 (4) (2011) pp.1378-1387 ISSN: 0891-4222 eISSN: 1873-3379
Rihtman T, Tekuzener E, Parush S, Tenenbaum A, Bachrach SJ, Ornoy A, Are the cognitive functions of children with Down syndrome related to their participation?
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 52 (1) (2010) pp.72-78 ISSN: 0012-1622 eISSN: 1469-8749
Bar-Shalita T, Yochman A, Rihtman T, Vatine JJ, Parush S, The Participation in Childhood Occupations Questionnaire (PICO-Q)
Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics 29 (3) (2009) pp.295-310 ISSN: 0194-2638
Parush S, Rihtman T, Commentary: Participation of children with cerebral palsy in leisure activities supports the current ICF health paradigm
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 50 (10) (2008) ISSN: 0012-1622 eISSN: 1469-8749

Ornoy A, Rihtman T, Parush S, Adaptive and behavioral development in children with Down syndrome at school age
in Subrata Dey (ed.), Prenatal Diagnosis and Screening for Down Syndrome, InTech Open (2011) ISBN: 9789533073552 eISBN: 9789535164463

Rihtman T, review of Book Review: Evidence-Based Rehabilitation: A Guide to Practice, Third Edition
British Journal of Occupational Therapy 77 (8) (2014) pp.433- ISSN: 0308-0226 eISSN: 1477-6006 Book Review: Evidence-Based Rehabilitation: A Guide to Practice, Third Edition Open Access version on RADAR

Rihtman T, Allen S, Barnett AL , Establishing an Activity Club for Children with Functional Motor Difficulties: Development, Implementation and Future Directions,
(2024)
Caravale B, Baldi S, Di Norcia A, Giannini MT, Di Brina C, Rihtman T , Psychometric properties of the Italian Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-IT),
(2024)
Hess K, Rihtman T, Allen S, Embedding Environmental Sustainability in Spiral Curricula for Pre-Registration Allied Health Education: Preparing the Future Professional Workforce,
(2023)
Rihtman T, Porter J, Gadsby N , Supporting the social-emotional needs of children and young people with developmental coordination disorder: occupational therapists’ perceptions of practice,
(2020)
Rihtman T, Green D, Construct and cultural validity of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ) – UK version,
Lau J, Persaud D, Tindley A, Bray L, Keating H, Ezekiel L, Hess KY, Rihtman T, Diversifying occupational therapy education through collaborative decolonisation of curricula,
Griffin K, Rihtman T, The impact of online training resources on primary school educator knowledge and confidence,

Professional information

Memberships of professional bodies

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Chair of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists ‘Play in Occupational Therapy’ practice development guideline group