The Relationship of Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threats With Psychological Well‐Being and Mental State: A Cross‐Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to determine the relationship between psychological preparedness for disaster threats with psychological well‐being and mental state. Methods This cross‐sectional study was conducted online between April 3, 2023 and April 25, 2023. While the minimum sample size was calculated as 385 participants, the study was completed with 454 participants. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, the Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threats Scale (PPDS), the General Health Questionnaire‐28 (GHQ), and the Psychological Well‐Being Scale (PWS). Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t‐tests, one‐way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression analysis. Results The mean age of participants was 30.59 ± 10.58, and 68.9% were female. Notably, 78.4% of participants reported that they did not feel psychologically prepared for disaster threats. The mean score 58.44 ± 14.47 for the Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threats Scale, 6.0 9 ± 5.34 for the General Health Questionnaire‐28, and 39.65 ± 12.89 for the Psychological Well‐Being Scale. A significant positive correlation was found between the PPDS and the PWS ( r = 0.417; p = 0.000), whereas a significant negative correlation was observed between The PPDS and GHQ‐28 scores ( r = −0.160; p = 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that a one‐unit increase in the PPDS score predicted a 0.070 decrease in the GHQ‐28 score (β = −0.070), explaining 2.3% of the total variance (Adjusted R 2 = 0.023). Conversely, a one‐unit increase in the PPDS score predicted a 0.468 increase in the PWS score (β = 0.468), accounting for 17.2% of the variance (Adjusted R 2 = 0.172). Conclusion Higher levels of psychological preparedness were significantly associated with enhanced psychological well‐being and fewer mental health symptoms. Developing and implementing targeted intervention programs to support community‐wide psychological preparedness for disasters is highly recommended.