The Relationship Between Nurses’ Perceptions of Disaster Preparedness and Psychological Preparedness: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nurses’ psychological preparedness is an important component of effective disaster response; however, its relationship with preparedness perceptions across disaster management phases remains insufficiently understood. This cross-sectional correlational study examined the relationship between disaster preparedness perceptions and psychological preparedness among 237 nurses working in three hospitals in Balıkesir, Türkiye. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using the Disaster Preparedness Perception Scale and the Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threat Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. The mean psychological preparedness score was 63.16 ± 11.88. Psychological preparedness was positively correlated with overall disaster preparedness perception (r = 0.697, p < 0.001), response-phase preparedness (r = 0.735, p < 0.001), and post-disaster preparedness (r = 0.650, p < 0.001), but not preparedness-phase perception (r = 0.080, p = 0.220). In the final regression model, response-phase (β = 0.480, p < 0.001) and post-disaster preparedness perceptions (β = 0.321, p < 0.001) were positively associated with psychological preparedness. Nurses without disaster training had lower psychological preparedness (β = −0.107, p = 0.017), as did nurses with postgraduate education compared with those with high school education (β = −0.167, p = 0.037). The final model explained 60.2% of the variance (adjusted R2 = 0.602). These findings highlight the relevance of disaster preparedness perceptions and training to nurses’ psychological preparedness and may inform institutional training and support strategies.