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Psychological Correlates of Civilian Preparedness for Conflicts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2017

Moran Bodas ,
Maya Siman-Tov ,
Shulamith Kreitler  and
Kobi Peleg
Moran Bodas*
Affiliation:
The Department of Disaster Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
Maya Siman-Tov
Affiliation:
Israel National Center for Trauma & Emergency Medicine Research, The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Shulamith Kreitler
Affiliation:
School of Psychological Sciences, Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Israel and Psychooncology Research Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Kobi Peleg
Affiliation:
The Department of Disaster Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel Israel National Center for Trauma & Emergency Medicine Research, The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, Israel
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Moran Bodas, MPH, The Department of Disaster Medicine, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Ramat Aviv, Tel-Aviv, 69978 ISRAEL (e-mail: [email protected]).
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Abstract

Objectives

Preparedness for emergencies and disasters is imperative for public resilience. Previous studies have revealed low levels of civilian preparedness for conflicts. Classic behavioral models prove inapt in describing preparedness patterns in victimized populations chronically exposed to this threat. In an effort to expand this perspective, we hypothesized that other psychological constructs are correlated with preparedness.

Methods

A cross-sectional, Internet-based study was performed in Israel in early 2016. A sociodemographically diverse sample included 385 participants, Jews and Arabs. The tools included a preparedness index, sense of preparedness questionnaire, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Life Orientation Test, Behavioral Inhibition & Activation System scales, and ego defenses.

Results

The results suggested that optimistic and rational individuals reported significantly higher levels of preparedness, whereas those who scored highly on the trait anxiety scale and those with a tendency to use denial coping mechanisms reported significantly lower levels of preparedness.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that additional constructs, other than classic threat perception components, might play a key role in governing preparedness behavior. In particular, psychological manipulation of dispositional optimism or optimistic thinking might be effective in motivating preparedness behavior. Future research should explore such innovative ways to promoting preparedness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:451–459)

Keywords

emergency preparednessbehaviormotivationconflictsoptimism
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , August 2017 , pp. 451 - 459
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

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