Home⇛Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives⇛vol. 4 no. 8 (2026)

Correlates of Self-Reported Disaster Preparedness and the Attitude-Behavior Gap Among Filipino Urban College Students

Marissa R. Fearnley | Jose Noel V. Fabia

Discipline: psychology (non-specific)

 

Abstract:

Using the 23-item Disaster Attitude Scale, this study investigated the cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of self-reported disaster preparedness attitudes among 264 college students in a highly vulnerable urban setting in Manila, Philippines. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were performed to characterize preparedness levels and identify within-sample correlates. Results indicated that while students demonstrated high affective (M = 3.93, SD = 0.79) and cognitive (M = 3.73, SD = 0.70) scores, their behavioral preparedness (M = 3.39, SD = 0.82) remained moderate. All three dimensions were found to be significantly intercorrelated, with the strongest association between the cognitive and behavioral dimensions (r = .74, p < .001). Within the sample, cognitive factors predicted behavioral preparedness (β = .74, p < .001), whereas affective factors did not (β = .02, p = .651). These findings suggest that emotional concern alone is inadequate to translate into protective action when technical competence is absent. Additionally, the possibility that academic institutions may benefit from shifting disaster education from awareness-centered campaigns toward competency-based skills training and resource provision is put forth as a key recommendation.



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