Evaluating psychological preparedness for the threat and impacts of climate change disasters and its change after intervention: an integrated modelling approach

Abstract

The aims of the present study are 1) to collect data on psychological preparedness and its psychological predictors in the sample in Novorossiysk, city located on the Black Sea shore in Southern Russia where climate change disasters such as storm wind, flooding and earthquake occur now very often; 2) to use collected data for identification of parameters of nonlinear model of psychological preparedness (PREP model) and its validation; 3) to propose psychological rhythmic movement therapy (RMT) intervention for increasing psychological preparedness; 4) to apply PREP model as an effective assessment tool for evaluating pre-post intervention levels of psychological preparedness. A total of 52 subjects were selected at random and assessed with the appropriate questionnaires. The collected data were used for PREP model’s parameters identification and its validation. After that two groups were formed: 1 (with low and medium, N=12) and 2 (with high, N=40) levels of psychological preparedness. Subjects of group 1 were proposed to participate in rhythmic movement therapy intervention. PREP model was used as the assessment tool of the RMT effectiveness. The results demonstrated significant improvement in psychological preparedness and several other personal variables in subjects of the RMT group.