COGNITIVE FACTORS, ATTITUDE, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT AS DETERMINANTS OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: BASIS FOR A RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Abstract

A descriptive correlation design was used to determine the relationship between cognitive, attitude, and social support with disaster preparedness of grades nine and ten public high schools students. Nine hundred thirty- three students were selected through purposive sampling from disaster prone areas of the Philippines. The result  revealed that the respondents' cognitive factors in terms of perceived severity, susceptibility, self- efficacy, and response efficacy toward disaster preparedness were high. They have positive attitudes towards disaster preparedness. Moreover, their social support in terms of family, peer, and school support was also high. Perceived severity, self-efficacy,  and response efficacy were positively related to planning, mitigation and response. However, perceived susceptibility was not significantly related to planning, mitigation and response. On the other hand, the attitude was significantly related to planning and response but not significantly related to mitigation. Social support was significantly related to disaster preparedness. There was a significant  difference in disaster preparedness between male and female, but there was no significant difference in disaster preparedness when the type of housing was considered. The predictors for planning were school and family support, perceived response efficacy, peer support, and perceived severity. On the other hand, family, peer and school support, perceived self-efficacy and response efficacy predicted the respondents' disaster preparedness in terms of mitigation. School support, perceived response efficacy, peer support, and perceived severity and family support predicted the respondents’ disaster preparedness in terms of response. Based on the findings, a risk management program was developed.