Psychometric properties of the earthquake knowledge questionnaire: Development for the Persian population

This study successfully developed and validated a 14-item EKQ. The scale was organized into three distinct factors: Geological knowledge, Mitigation measures, and preparedness knowledge, which collectively accounted for 83.6% of the total variance, demonstrating strong explanatory power. The use of polychoric correlation matrices, parallel analysis, and principal axis factoring (PAF) improved the factor extraction process by appropriately accounting for the ordinal nature of the questionnaire data. Model fit indices, including RMSEA and TLI, indicated an acceptable to good fit of the scale to the data. Additionally, the scale demonstrated acceptable reliability, as evidenced by internal consistency measures, McDonald's omega, and test-retest reliability. The study's EKQ makes a significant contribution to earthquake education by providing a validated tool to assess public awareness across geological knowledge, mitigation strategies, and preparedness knowledge, aligning with UNDRR guidelines. Further research is recommended to confirm its generalizability across diverse populations and contexts.