Developing a disaster risk perception scale is a critical component of Disaster Risk Management (DRM), enabling the assessment and evaluation of the reactions, behaviors, and risk culture characteristics of individuals living under disaster risk. The objective of this study is to develop a disaster risk perception scale and to assess its effect on disaster preparedness.

A pilot study was conducted with 359 participants, followed by a main study involving 786 participants. All participants resided in Giresun and Elazig, Turkey, the regions recently affected by earthquakes, floods, and landslides.

A reliable and valid disaster risk perception scale with 25 items and 5 dimensions (exposure/impact, probability, uncontrollable, worry/fear, and vulnerability) was developed. The disaster risk perception of the participants differed significantly according to their educational level, income level, city of residence, and disaster education. As per the multiple regression analysis, the exposure/impact and worry/fear variables had positive and significant effects on disaster preparedness.

For future studies, it is recommended to implement the disaster risk perception scale across diverse disaster types to assess and evaluate the outcomes effectively.