Development of a Disaster Attitude Scale and Assessment of University Students' Attitudes Towards Disasters

Abstract

Humanity is exposed to numerous disasters all around the world. Both natural and man-made disasters might lead to very important economic and social consequences and might pose a significant threat to public health and its future. This study aims to develop a scale to measure attitudes towards disasters by considering three dimensions of attitude: cognitive, affective and behavioural. A survey-based study was carried out on a sample of 787 undergraduates at Afyon Kocatepe University in Turkey. A five-point Likert scale including 23 items was used to quantify students’ attitudes. The results obtained from the survey revealed a high level of affective attitudes and a low level of behavioural attitudes among the university students. Moreover, affective and behavioural attitudes differed based on the students’ genders and their study programme. Attitudes towards disasters are not at the required level according to these measurements made at the local level. It is necessary to produce and implement policies in the scope of preparation for a possible crisis.