Enhancing disaster response self-efficacy in red crescent relief workers: an evaluation of a disasters management training program

The self-efficacy of Red Crescent relief workers is crucial for effective disaster management and can have a significant impact on communities affected by disasters. To enhance these competencies, the Disaster Management Training Program (DMTP) was developed. However, there is limited empirical evidence on its effectiveness in improving the disaster response self-efficacy of relief workers. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the DMTP on the self-efficacy of Red Crescent relief workers. This quasi-experimental, two-group (intervention and control) pretest-posttest study was conducted on 90 Red Crescent relief workers in Kerman, Iran, in 2025. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 45) or the control group (n = 45). The intervention consisted of the DMTP, which was delivered over four consecutive days for a total of 16 h. The Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale (DRSES) was administered to both groups before and after the intervention. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. At baseline, there were no significant differences in DRSES scores between the two groups (t=-0.57, p = 0.56). However, after the training, the intervention group showed significant improvements in all dimensions of the DRSES compared to the control group. This included scores for emergency rescue competency (t = 1.99, p < 0.05), psychological competency (t = 2.65, p = 0.01), adaptation competency (t = 2.37, p < 0.02), and the total DRSES score (t = 2.59, p = 0.01). This study demonstrated that the DMTP effectively increased the disaster response self-efficacy of Red Crescent relief workers. The findings suggest that providing continuous training through active, structured methods like the DMTP is important for enhancing the capabilities of relief workers in the field.