Investigation of Negative Attitudes in Vocational Education: Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management

Investigation of Negative Attitudes in Vocational Education: Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Investigation of Negative Attitudes in Vocational Education: Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management Murat Tatoğlu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6852962/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study aims to examine the negative attitudes and behaviors of students enrolled in Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management (EDM) programmes in Turkey when faced with challenges. The research seeks to understand the causes of these negative attitudes, evaluate their impacts, and develop solutions. The study employed a quantitative research method and general survey model. Participants were administered the "Negative Attitude Towards Problems Scale" (NATPS) developed by Akyay (2016). The research involved 308 students from seven different universities in Turkey during the 2024–2025 academic year. Data were collected through an online form and statistically analysed using the Jamovi software package. The research findings indicate that certain variables significantly influence negative attitudes. These variables can be summarised as follows: The effect of gender: Female students' negative attitude scores were found to be significantly higher than those of male students. Programme type: Students enrolled in the EDM programme scored higher in negative attitudes compared to those in the firefighting programme. Receiving psychological support: Students who had previously received psychological support exhibited more negative attitudes than those who had not. Perception of problems: 55.1% of the participants tended to perceive problems as larger than they actually were, which negatively impacted their problemsolving abilities. To reduce negative attitudes, it is recommended to include training programmes that develop problem-solving skills and to strengthen psychosocial support mechanisms. Furthermore, counseling services and applied group activities should be expanded to enhance students’ sense of professional competence and facilitate their adaptation to teamwork. Firefighting attitude behaviour Figures Figure 1 Introduction Disasters and emergencies are situations that develop at unexpected times, deeply affect the lives of individuals and societies, and require sudden decisions to be taken. Disasters can cause serious losses on all kinds of material and immaterial values in the society. These negative and destructive situations have a serious inhibiting effect not only on public health but also on the ability of public institutions to do business. The society, which is under the heavy destruction of disasters and emergencies, is more affected due to the stoppage of work flows of public institutions. People working in the field of disaster and emergency management should be mentally affected from negative situations in the least way. In order to cope with such adverse situations quickly, it is important for the officials to exhibit an effective crisis management practice by using their problem solving skills. Considering all these, students studying at universities in order to intervene against disasters and emergencies are the subject of attention. It is known that people studying in programmes such as civil defence firefighting and emergency disaster management will face unexpected emergency events and life-threatening situations throughout their professional lives. The attitudes and behaviours exhibited by these individuals in times of disasters and emergencies determine not only their professional success but also the resistance of the society against disasters. Negative attitudes and behaviours in the face of problems can often prevent effective decisionmaking. Negative thoughts displayed in the face of problems can reduce the self-confidence of individuals, this situation makes teamwork difficult and delays the response time in emergency situations. If such situations occur in professional life, the possibility of individual and organisational problems is quite high. For this reason, it is very important to understand the negative attitudes, behaviours and thoughts exhibited in the face of problems and to organise training and awareness activities on these issues. This study aims to measure the negative attitudes and behaviours of civil defence firefighting and emergency disaster management students in the face of problems. Related departments provide intervention-oriented education during disasters and emergencies. Individuals who receive education in these fields should have higher coping skills against negative situations that they will frequently encounter in their professional lives compared to other individuals. Emergencies are generally complex events that occur unexpectedly. In disasters, fires, technological accidents and similar incidents, fire brigades and emergency teams must quickly analyse the situation and initiate intervention work. During this process, the problem solving skills of the response teams play a vital role in both saving human life and minimising material damage. Considering that the speed and effectiveness of responding to disasters and emergencies are directly related to the professional performance and attitudes of individuals, it is necessary to identify the negative attitudes of the people trained in this field and, if necessary, to make additions to the training curricula. Providing such a contribution will allow saving more human lives and at the same time, it will improve the problem solving skills of the people who do this job. Emergency teams need to acquire the habit of problem solving in the face of limited resources and manage unfavourable situations with the means at hand. Conceptual Problem Solving The relationship between negative attitudes and problem solving behaviours is an important issue that directly affects the performance and psychological resilience criteria of employees, especially in stressful times that require crisis management such as disasters and emergencies. Negative attitudes and behaviours exhibited by working individuals may lead to the emergence of burnout symptoms over time (Üçok & Torun, 2014:233). The burnout syndrome of people working in emergency aid work can cause a serious decrease in the quality of work. There are many definitions of the concept of problem. The Turkish Language Institution defines a problem as an issue-problem that needs to be solved or the education of people who exhibit abnormal behaviour (TDK, 2025). In another expression, it corresponds to the obstacles encountered on the way to achieve a desired goal. In this context, solving an existing problem can be expressed as deciding where the person is at the moment, where he/she wants to get to, and the way to get there (Yıldırım & Özkahraman, 2011:155). Many factors play a role in the acquisition of problem solving skills. The individual's family, cultural and social environment and the experiences formed by all these are a part of the attitude exhibited in the face of problems. The behaviour of the individual in the face of the problem constitutes a reflection of his/her social development (Güngör, 2012:44). While problem solving is now defined as a social behaviour, it was previously in the field of science. With the prominence of the social aspect in humans, it has been understood that there is a direct link between problem solving and psychological adjustment, and it has been concluded that problem solving in the face of problems is achieved through the sum of different cognitive abilities (Heppner et al., 2004). Another concept that needs to be defined is attitude. Attitude is not a directly observable phenomenon, but we can see it as a structure that determines the selectivity in our behaviours, directs the actions we will take and has an effect on the decisions we make (Hogg & Vaughan, 2007). Continuously adopting a negative way of thinking in the face of the events experienced has a direct effect on the attitudes and behaviours of the person and also has an effect on the decisions he/she makes. Attitude is a set of actions that are unique to the individual, which manifests itself as the psychological manifestation of an event experienced and tends to create an order in emotions, thoughts and behaviours over time (Smith, 1968). Therefore, positive and negative attitudes determine the direction of the action to be taken in the face of events. The positive attitude exhibited when faced with a problem gives the person the courage to solve the problem, even if the problem cannot be solved in the desired way, the person leaves a tolerant image towards his/her environment, and the person who thinks and acts positively has the chance to turn negativities into opportunities (Kurbanoğlu & Takunyacı, 2012:114). The opposite of this assumption is also valid for negative attitudes and behaviours. If the individual constantly makes negative discourses to his/her own self and his/her environment in the face of the problems he/she faces, he/she will not be able to contribute to the solution of the problem and will be remembered as intolerant by his/her environment. A person who thinks negatively will have missed many opportunities offered to him/her without realising it. The parental factor also plays an important role in the development of individuals' problem solving ability. It is known that people who cannot be given responsibility especially in adolescence and whose coping capacity development is inhibited behave more fragile in the face of problems (Kaynak & Işık, 2024:176). Negative attitudes affect the individual's ability to solve problems in every subject. This situation can be reflected in teamwork and harmony with the external environment. Therefore, people who exhibit negative attitudes towards problems must overcome this situation by developing certain strategies. Especially the development of problem solving skills of emergency aid workers individually and as a team will enable them to offer more effective and harmonious solutions in stressful environments. Reversing negative attitudes and behaviours can enable individuals to achieve success both in their personal and professional lives. The of Attitudes in Disaster Management and Crisis Situations Disaster can be defined as the results of natural or human-induced events that directly affect people and the environment, have a destructive effect on the settlements where societies live, cause physical, social and economic losses, stop or bring to a standstill human activities and public services (Işıklı and Tüzün, 2017:181). Disasters destroy the society in which they occur not only physically but also in many other ways. In the past, disasters have caused some societies to be completely wiped off the face of the earth and some to leave the place where they live. In this respect, World Health Organisation (WHO, 2002) defines disasters as any situation where resources are insufficient. In summary, disasters are situations caused by natural, technological or human-induced events that adversely affect human health, living spaces, assets, environment and economic structure. Disaster management is the management style applied in order to reduce all kinds of damages caused by disasters and to minimise the loss of life and property. Disaster management refers to an integrated process consisting of risk analysis studies before the disaster, intervention studies during the disaster and reconstruction studies after the disaster. Modern disaster management system is implemented in two separate phases as risk and crisis management. In the risk phase, studies are carried out in order to minimise the damages and to be ready for a possible disaster. In the crisis phase, post-disaster response and reconstruction activities are implemented. When these two phases are applied together and effectively, an integrated disaster management system emerges (Şahin, 2019:188). Disasters also bring crisis situations afterwards. Crisis refers to situations that create an intense stress burden for the organisation or individual, threaten cultural and moral values, cause depletion of resources and are limited to a certain period of time (Akdemir, 2010:127). After the disaster or crisis situations, the attitudes of aid workers towards the events play a major role in minimising the effects of these events and carrying out the process in a more functional way. Attitudes of the employees have a great impact on the co-operation and coordination of the response teams. These attitudes not only affect the work performance but also have a significant share in the success of the disaster management process when evaluated from the general framework. The attitudes of individuals in disaster studies also affect mutual trust. In times of disaster, trust is very important in establishing cooperation, and attitudes are a determining factor in this (Li et al., 2024). Fear is one of the most prominent emotions that emerges during disasters (Güzel, 2024:2), and the feeling of fear affects decision-making processes and attitudes towards events. Positive attitudes and behaviours of disaster workers in the face of events affect the process in many ways. We can evaluate these aspects under the following headings: Morale and motivation In the aftermath of events such as disasters that cause many negative consequences, it is very important for aid workers to show commitment to their duties and keep their motivation high in order to reach people in need of help in a timely and effective manner. In addition, individuals who show high motivation in the face of negative situations can act more determined and willingly despite the challenging conditions. Stress and emotional management The fact that there is a lot of destruction and death after the disaster and the number of people in need of help is very high makes these environments very stressful and emotionally charged. In such chaotic environments, it is necessary to manage to stay calm and control attitudes and behaviours by providing stress management. Coordination and co-operation In disaster areas, many teams have to work in a coordinated manner. Disaster workers should enable this situation with their attitudes and behaviours so that people who are strangers to each other can act together for a common purpose. Decision making process Having a positive and proactive attitude in times of crisis enables quick and correct decisions to be made. Negative attitudes and behaviours displayed in the face of events may cause the process to be prolonged and erroneous decisions may be made. Positive attitudes of disaster and relief workers play a critical role in the successful outcome of the process. Exhibiting a positive and constructive attitude enables the formation of a synergy in the teams working in the disaster area and contributes to the increase in the resilience of individuals. Firefighting and emergency disaster management programmes train students to work in difficult conditions. Students who graduate from these programmes may have to be in danger of injury and death many times in their professional lives. The fact that a job constantly poses a lifethreatening danger to people may cause occupational traumas and negative attitudes towards events (Tatoğlu, 2020:11). When the studies on firefighters in the literature are examined, it is seen that they experience some psychosocial problems such as depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, which are effective on decision-making, attitudes and behaviours (Wagner et al. 1998; Boxer and Wild, 1993; Ünal, 2014, Fortane, 1989; Ersland et al., 1989). The aim of our study is to understand the negative attitudes and behaviours of associate degree students studying in Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management programmes towards the problems in their lives and to examine the possible reasons underlying this situation from a qualitative perspective. Our research aims to discover how these individuals perceive problems, what are the reactions they develop when they face these problems, and how this situation will be reflected in their professional performance and what the effects may be. In addition, it is also aimed to develop some suggestions for reducing negative attitudes and behaviours in the light of the data obtained. In this context, face-to-face interviews were also conducted with some students. Method This study is a quantitative research and general survey model was applied. In order to determine the negative attitudes and behaviours of firefighting and emergency disaster management programme students towards problems, a scale was applied to the students. In the study, the differences of students' attitudes and behaviours in terms of certain variables were analysed by using relational screening model. Within the scope of the study, the levels of negative attitudes and behaviours of the participants towards problems were determined. A five-point Likert-type scale was used for the study (1-does not fit at all, 5-fits extremely). Before the application of the scale, the purpose of data collection, the content of the scale and the study were explained to the participants. The importance of the research for people working in the field of humanitarian aid was mentioned, and it was mentioned that it could have an impact on solving some professional problems. Working Group The study group of our research consists of students studying in civil defence firefighting and emergency disaster management programmes in Turkey in 2024–2025. For the research, the scale was applied to volunteer participants from seven different universities. The research data were collected entirely on a voluntary basis and the scale was applied on an online form. The research was conducted in accordance with ethical values and the privacy of the participants was taken care of. Negative Attitude towards Problems Scale For the study, the "Negative Attitude Towards Problems Scale" (POTÖ), which was adapted into Turkish by Akyay (2016) and whose validity and reliability was established, was used. The scale measures the inability of individuals to develop solutions to the problems they encounter in their daily lives. It is a self-assessment type scale. The lowest score that the participants can get from the scale is 12 and the highest score is 60 (Akyay, 2016:21). The Data The collected data were analysed using Jamovi package programme. Descriptive statistics (mean, frequency, maximum and minimum value and percentage), independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical data were used in the analysis of the data. The scale does not have any sub-dimensions. The results of the analyses were interpreted by determining the significance level p = 0.005. Findings The Cronbach's a value of our research was found to be 0.919 and found to be sufficient. A total of 308 volunteers from seven different universities participated in our research. Introductory information about the participants is given in table-1. Table 1 Information about participants Variable Category N % Gender Woman 135 43,8 Man 173 56,2 Program Firefighting 196 63,6 Emergency Disaster Management 112 36,4 Class 1st grade 147 47,7 2nd grade 161 52,3 Have you received spiritual help before? Yes 36 11,7 No 272 88,3 The average age of the participants was 19.6 years. The distribution of ages is given in Table 2 . Table 2: Age distribution table of participants Age N % 17 14 4.5% 18 58 18.8% 19 99 32.1% 20 78 25.3% 21 30 9.7% 22 13 4.2% 23 10 3.2% 24 3 1.0% It is seen that there are more men than women in the individuals who participated in the research, and the reason for this situation is that men prefer the firefighting programme more than women. Programme-based gender distribution is given in Table-3. Table-3: program based gender distribution Gender Program N % of Total Man Emergency and Disaster Management 25 8.1% Civil Defense and Firefighting 148 48.1% Woman Emergency and Disaster Management 87 28.2% Civil Defense and Firefighting 48 15.6% 11.7% of the participants stated that they received help for a mental distress. Of these, 2.3% (7) were male and 9.4% (29) were female. In the analyses, a significant difference was found between male and female individuals in terms of having mental problems and having received help. It was determined that women who received education in these programmes had more mental problems than men. The average score of the participants was found to be 21. As the score value increases, it is understood that the individual is more prone to show a negative attitude. The mean score of men and women was calculated as 19.8 and 22.4, respectively. In the one-way ANOVA analysis, it is seen that there is a significant difference between men and women in terms of mean score. It is understood that women have more negative attitudes towards problems than men. No significant difference was found in the class-based ANOVA tests. On the other hand, when we look at the results of the programme-based analysis, it is calculated that the average score of the candidate students is 23.1 and the average score of the firefighting students is 19.7. In the ANOVA analyses, it was determined that there was a significant difference between both groups (p = 0.001). The fact that there are more female students in the EDM programme and that women are more prone to exhibit negative attitudes than men shows that the data obtained are consistent with each other. A quite different significance was found between those who had received help for a mental illness before and those who had not. The mean score of those who had been treated for a mental illness before was 29.9, while the mean score of those who had not received any help was 19.8. The fact that the F value is high and the p value is well below the significance limit shows that the difference between the variables is strongly supported. Based on this result, it can be concluded that those who have had a problem with a mental issue before or who have received a mental treatment in the past are more inclined to exhibit negative attitudes and behaviours and are inadequate in producing solutions to problems. Participants were asked whether they trusted their abilities in problem solving. 4.2% (13) of the men and 7.5% (23) of the women stated that they did not trust their own abilities in problem solving. A large proportion (20) of those who had previously received psychosocial assistance (36) stated that they were not confident in solving problems. 55.1% of the participants stated that they perceived the problems as bigger than they were and tended to see them as a threat to themselves. There was no significant difference between male and female participants in their answers to these two questions. 22.5% (69) of the participants stated that the problems they encountered disrupted their functioning, 13% (34) stated that they could not overcome the problems at all, and 13% stated that they could not find any solution in some cases 4.1% (13) of the male participants and 8.7% (27) of the female participants stated that finding solutions to problems did not suit them. In this question, the participants were told that the problems mentioned could be not only mental but also professional problems and they were asked to answer by taking this into consideration. Conclusion In this study, it was aimed to determine the attitudes and behaviours of firefighting and EDM students in the face of negative situations. Considering that these individuals will often face problems in their professional lives, they need to show resistance to problems and find effective solutions. In this respect, their behaviours in the face of problems are very important in terms of increasing their professional performance and providing healthier service to the people they help. The results of the research can be summarised as follows in the light of the findings obtained; The effect of gender on negative attitudes: It was determined that female students had more negative attitudes towards problems than male students. According to the scale data, the mean score of female students was 22.4 and the mean score of male students was 19.8. The mean score of female students is significantly higher than male students. This situation can be explained by the fact that women are more sensitive and tend to have an emotional approach to problems. The relationship between programme type and negative attitude: The average score of the students studying in the EDM programme is 23.1, while the average score of the Firefighting students is 19.7. Although the programmes are close to each other in terms of education and curriculum, the fact that there are more female students in the EDM programme is the explanation for this significant score difference. The point we need to emphasise here is that it is important for individuals to research the programmes they will apply to well during the preference phase. It is a vital necessity to know the graduation requirements, education conditions and employment opportunities of the programmes. Providing this information on the web pages of the programmes for the prospective students who will make a preference will shed light on the subject. The effect of receiving psychological help: It was found that the scale scores of the participants who had received help for a mental problem before (29.9) were significantly higher than the scores of the participants who had not received help (19.8). This shows that individuals who have experienced mental problems in the past are more prone to exhibit negative attitudes and behaviours in the face of problems. In face-to-face interviews, it was observed that the participants' point of view was in this direction. In addition, it was determined that the majority of these individuals did not trust their own abilities to find a solution when faced with a problem. In order to solve this situation, a health report may be requested at the stage of enrolment in these programmes. It is concluded that those who have undergone severe psychological treatment in the past and those who are currently undergoing this treatment are not cognitively suitable for such professions. Ability to perceive and solve problems: 55.1 per cent of the participants stated that they tend to perceive the problems they face as bigger than they are and that they see these problems as a threat. In addition, 22.5 per cent stated that the problems disrupted their functioning and 13 per cent stated that they could not overcome the problems or had difficulty in finding solutions. In professions such as firefighting and search and rescue, it is necessary to understand the problem and take the right action as soon as possible. It is very difficult for people who have difficulty in finding solutions to problems in daily life to analyse solutions under the influence of intense stress factors during professional practice. Too many stimuli from the environment will create pressure on the individual to solve problems. Firefighter and rescuer candidates should be able to neutralise this pressure and focus on saving lives. When necessary, they may need to calm not only themselves but sometimes their teammates and sometimes the relatives of the victims. For such situations, rescuers and firefighters should quickly perceive the situation at the scene. Gender and Problem Solving Confidence: No significant difference was found between male and female participants regarding problem solving skills. Both men and women are confident in their ability to propose a solution to the problem they face. Here, a significant difference was observed among individuals who had previously received psychological help. When this situation is considered from a professional point of view, it has shown that women can find solutions to the problems encountered during field duties at the same rate as men. This situation shows that everyone who specialises in disaster management can take part in this field without gender discrimination. As a result of the analysis of the data obtained throughout the research, it is seen that factors such as age, gender, type of programme and especially having mental problems in the past are determinative in developing negative attitudes and behaviours in the face of problems. The most determinant variable here was the history of psychological trauma. The majority (55.6%) of the individuals who received help for a mental problem stated that they did not trust themselves in problem solving. This situation reveals an important determinant in terms of professional performance. In situations where human life depends on a decision to be made within minutes and sometimes seconds, the personnel on duty must take decision(s) confidently and quickly. The hesitation that may be experienced in decision making may result in the end of human life. Such situations may then cause the responsible personnel to feel more pressure and conscientiously disturbed. As a solution, people who are not in full psychological health can be made to reconsider their professional preferences or psychological professional competence tests can be applied to candidates for this profession. It is known that similar tests are also conducted in other professional groups. For example, the psychological health status of pilot candidates is given great importance, so they are subjected to some psychological tests to determine their stress levels, to determine their ability to make decisions under stress and to understand whether there is a mental problem in the past period (Anuk, 2022: 101). In addition, individuals who are currently working in humanitarian aid and often have to make decisions under stress should be subjected to some mental health tests and should be supported psychosocially from time to time. The findings obtained show that individuals with negative attitudes towards problems feel inadequate in producing solutions and this situation may have negative effects on educational processes. Therefore, it is recommended that training programmes and psychological support mechanisms that will improve students' problem solving skills should be increased in these programmes. It is thought that developing negative attitudes towards problems has an effect on the educational process. It is seen that female students and individuals who have received psychological help in the past perceive problems more negatively than they really are and have difficulty in finding solutions. This situation may cause groups to lack motivation in their educational life. It is observed by the educators that people with a lack of motivation in terms of profession behave incompatible in acting as a team in applied courses such as fire intervention techniques and search and rescue skills. In the study, the rate of people who perceive problems as threats was calculated as 55.1%, which is quite high. This attitude may weaken students' perception of professional competence. If a student does not feel himself/herself professionally competent during the education process and experiences this to an extent that is noticeable from the outside, it may cause him/her to be subjected to psychological pressure by his/her fellow students. In the education process, the thought of "I cannot do this job" may directly affect their own learning outcomes in a negative way. Students perceiving the problems as bigger than they are and being inadequate in producing solutions will cause the group dynamics to be affected. All rescue activities are carried out as part of a team. Failure to keep up with group dynamics may result in exclusion from the team. It is obvious that people who exhibit negative attitudes and magnify problems will also have problems with instructors in the educational environment. These individuals may create more conflicts in their relations with their classmates and instructors and may negatively affect the general psychological climate in the educational environment. Some steps can be taken to positively affect the educational processes of students with negative attitudes; increasing problem solving practices, counselling services can be provided especially for students with a diagnosis of mental treatment in the past, team activities can be implemented more intensively and students with negative attitudes can be given more responsibility. These practices will ensure that the problems of students with negative attitudes are addressed both at the group level and individually. In conclusion, it is recommended to increase the trainings that will improve the problem solving ability of students in firefighting and EDM programmes and to activate psychosocial support mechanisms. Declarations Declaration of funds: No funding was provided by any institution or individual in the creation of this manuscript. Ethic Declaration: This study was approved by the Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University with the decision dated 07.05.2025 and numbered GO 2025/1478. The study was conducted in full accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were informed about the purpose and scope of the study, and written informed consent was obtained from each participant on a voluntary basis. Consent to participate All respondents who participated in this study provided their consent to participate. All respondents signed an informed consent form to strengthen their willingness to participate in this study. Data availability The datasets used in this study are accessible upon request from the corresponding author. Author Contribution MT Conducted research and literature review related to the study. Prepared figures and tables. Wrote the main manuscript text. Funding There is no funding source for this manuscript. Author İnformation Property Protection and Security Department, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur / Turkey Murat Tatoğlu [email protected] References Akdemir, B. (2010). A research on the comparison of stress factors of dismissed and employed employees during the crisis. Istanbul University Journal of Business Faculty, 39(1), 125-140. Akyay, A. (2016). Worry and anxiety scale, negative attitude towards problems scale and cognitive avoidance scale, Turkish adaptation, validity and reliability (Master's thesis, Institute of Social Sciences). Anuk, D. (2022). 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Disaster management in Turkey and 2023 targets. Turkish Earthquake Research Journal, 1(2), 180-196. Tatoğlu, M. (2020). The relationship between emergency aid disaster management programme and post-traumatic stress disorder (Master's thesis, Institute of Health Sciences). TDK, https://sozluk.gov.tr (access date: 01.01.2025). Üçok, D., & Torun, A. (2014). Negative attitudes and expectations affecting burnout: A study on cynical attitude and perception of psychological contract violation. Ünal Kılıç, Y. (2014). Evaluation of aid workers in disasters in terms of post-traumatic stress disorder, self-esteem, perceived social support and help seeking behaviours (Master's thesis, Kocaeli University, Institute of Health Sciences). Wagner, D., Heinrichs, M., & Ehlert, U. (1998). Prevalence of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in German professional firefighters. American journal of psychiatry, 155(12), 1727-1732. World Health Organization. Disaster and emergencies definitions. Training Package. Panafrican Emergency Training Centre, Addis Ababa. 2002. Yıldırım, B., & Özkahraman, Ş. (2011). Problem solving in nursing. Süleyman Demirel University Journal of Health Sciences, 2(3), 155-159. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6852962","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":476248919,"identity":"f50757cd-26e0-4c5a-af69-eb95a5a5a54b","order_by":0,"name":"Murat Tatoğlu","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Mehmet Akif Ersoy University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Murat","middleName":"","lastName":"Tatoğlu","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-06-09 09:38:17","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6852962/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6852962/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":85726395,"identity":"6f7145cb-2fdf-4a5c-adaa-d2e2e7c65507","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-01 06:43:13","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":50841,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eUnnumbered image in the Findings section.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"UF1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6852962/v1/b8d01753acb8421b7caf5b1b.png"},{"id":92518204,"identity":"e280199f-f9a1-4aa0-93a2-672e031c82d5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-30 14:32:06","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":605915,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6852962/v1/a3abaa85-3ab5-4326-b61b-4249fe17e3ef.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Investigation of Negative Attitudes in Vocational Education: Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management ","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eDisasters and emergencies are situations that develop at unexpected times, deeply affect the lives of individuals and societies, and require sudden decisions to be taken. Disasters can cause serious losses on all kinds of material and immaterial values in the society. These negative and destructive situations have a serious inhibiting effect not only on public health but also on the ability of public institutions to do business. The society, which is under the heavy destruction of disasters and emergencies, is more affected due to the stoppage of work flows of public institutions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePeople working in the field of disaster and emergency management should be mentally affected from negative situations in the least way. In order to cope with such adverse situations quickly, it is important for the officials to exhibit an effective crisis management practice by using their problem solving skills.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConsidering all these, students studying at universities in order to intervene against disasters and emergencies are the subject of attention. It is known that people studying in programmes such as civil defence firefighting and emergency disaster management will face unexpected emergency events and life-threatening situations throughout their professional lives. The attitudes and behaviours exhibited by these individuals in times of disasters and emergencies determine not only their professional success but also the resistance of the society against disasters.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNegative attitudes and behaviours in the face of problems can often prevent effective decisionmaking. Negative thoughts displayed in the face of problems can reduce the self-confidence of individuals, this situation makes teamwork difficult and delays the response time in emergency situations. If such situations occur in professional life, the possibility of individual and organisational problems is quite high. For this reason, it is very important to understand the negative attitudes, behaviours and thoughts exhibited in the face of problems and to organise training and awareness activities on these issues.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study aims to measure the negative attitudes and behaviours of civil defence firefighting and emergency disaster management students in the face of problems. Related departments provide intervention-oriented education during disasters and emergencies. Individuals who receive education in these fields should have higher coping skills against negative situations that they will frequently encounter in their professional lives compared to other individuals. Emergencies are generally complex events that occur unexpectedly. In disasters, fires, technological accidents and similar incidents, fire brigades and emergency teams must quickly analyse the situation and initiate intervention work. During this process, the problem solving skills of the response teams play a vital role in both saving human life and minimising material damage.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConsidering that the speed and effectiveness of responding to disasters and emergencies are directly related to the professional performance and attitudes of individuals, it is necessary to identify the negative attitudes of the people trained in this field and, if necessary, to make additions to the training curricula. Providing such a contribution will allow saving more human lives and at the same time, it will improve the problem solving skills of the people who do this job.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmergency teams need to acquire the habit of problem solving in the face of limited resources and manage unfavourable situations with the means at hand.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conceptual","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eProblem Solving\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe relationship between negative attitudes and problem solving behaviours is an important issue that directly affects the performance and psychological resilience criteria of employees, especially in stressful times that require crisis management such as disasters and emergencies. Negative attitudes and behaviours exhibited by working individuals may lead to the emergence of burnout symptoms over time (\u0026Uuml;\u0026ccedil;ok \u0026amp; Torun, 2014:233). The burnout syndrome of people working in emergency aid work can cause a serious decrease in the quality of work.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere are many definitions of the concept of problem. The Turkish Language Institution defines a problem as an issue-problem that needs to be solved or the education of people who exhibit abnormal behaviour (TDK, 2025). In another expression, it corresponds to the obstacles encountered on the way to achieve a desired goal. In this context, solving an existing problem can be expressed as deciding where the person is at the moment, where he/she wants to get to, and the way to get there (Yıldırım \u0026amp; \u0026Ouml;zkahraman, 2011:155).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMany factors play a role in the acquisition of problem solving skills. The individual's family, cultural and social environment and the experiences formed by all these are a part of the attitude exhibited in the face of problems. The behaviour of the individual in the face of the problem constitutes a reflection of his/her social development (G\u0026uuml;ng\u0026ouml;r, 2012:44). While problem solving is now defined as a social behaviour, it was previously in the field of science. With the prominence of the social aspect in humans, it has been understood that there is a direct link between problem solving and psychological adjustment, and it has been concluded that problem solving in the face of problems is achieved through the sum of different cognitive abilities (Heppner et al., 2004).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnother concept that needs to be defined is attitude. Attitude is not a directly observable phenomenon, but we can see it as a structure that determines the selectivity in our behaviours, directs the actions we will take and has an effect on the decisions we make (Hogg \u0026amp; Vaughan, 2007). Continuously adopting a negative way of thinking in the face of the events experienced has a direct effect on the attitudes and behaviours of the person and also has an effect on the decisions he/she makes. Attitude is a set of actions that are unique to the individual, which manifests itself as the psychological manifestation of an event experienced and tends to create an order in emotions, thoughts and behaviours over time (Smith, 1968). Therefore, positive and negative attitudes determine the direction of the action to be taken in the face of events. The positive attitude exhibited when faced with a problem gives the person the courage to solve the problem, even if the problem cannot be solved in the desired way, the person leaves a tolerant image towards his/her environment, and the person who thinks and acts positively has the chance to turn negativities into opportunities (Kurbanoğlu \u0026amp; Takunyacı, 2012:114). The opposite of this assumption is also valid for negative attitudes and behaviours. If the individual constantly makes negative discourses to his/her own self and his/her environment in the face of the problems he/she faces, he/she will not be able to contribute to the solution of the problem and will be remembered as intolerant by his/her environment. A person who thinks negatively will have missed many opportunities offered to him/her without realising it. The parental factor also plays an important role in the development of individuals' problem solving ability. It is known that people who cannot be given responsibility especially in adolescence and whose coping capacity development is inhibited behave more fragile in the face of problems (Kaynak \u0026amp; Işık, 2024:176).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNegative attitudes affect the individual's ability to solve problems in every subject. This situation can be reflected in teamwork and harmony with the external environment. Therefore, people who exhibit negative attitudes towards problems must overcome this situation by developing certain strategies. Especially the development of problem solving skills of emergency aid workers individually and as a team will enable them to offer more effective and harmonious solutions in stressful environments. Reversing negative attitudes and behaviours can enable individuals to achieve success both in their personal and professional lives.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe of Attitudes in Disaster Management and Crisis Situations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisaster can be defined as the results of natural or human-induced events that directly affect people and the environment, have a destructive effect on the settlements where societies live, cause physical, social and economic losses, stop or bring to a standstill human activities and public services (Işıklı and T\u0026uuml;z\u0026uuml;n, 2017:181). Disasters destroy the society in which they occur not only physically but also in many other ways. In the past, disasters have caused some societies to be completely wiped off the face of the earth and some to leave the place where they live. In this respect, World Health Organisation (WHO, 2002) defines disasters as any situation where resources are insufficient. In summary, disasters are situations caused by natural, technological or human-induced events that adversely affect human health, living spaces, assets, environment and economic structure.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDisaster management is the management style applied in order to reduce all kinds of damages caused by disasters and to minimise the loss of life and property. Disaster management refers to an integrated process consisting of risk analysis studies before the disaster, intervention studies during the disaster and reconstruction studies after the disaster. Modern disaster management system is implemented in two separate phases as risk and crisis management. In the risk phase, studies are carried out in order to minimise the damages and to be ready for a possible disaster. In the crisis phase, post-disaster response and reconstruction activities are implemented. When these two phases are applied together and effectively, an integrated disaster management system emerges (Şahin, 2019:188). Disasters also bring crisis situations afterwards. Crisis refers to situations that create an intense stress burden for the organisation or individual, threaten cultural and moral values, cause depletion of resources and are limited to a certain period of time (Akdemir, 2010:127).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter the disaster or crisis situations, the attitudes of aid workers towards the events play a major role in minimising the effects of these events and carrying out the process in a more functional way. Attitudes of the employees have a great impact on the co-operation and coordination of the response teams. These attitudes not only affect the work performance but also have a significant share in the success of the disaster management process when evaluated from the general framework. The attitudes of individuals in disaster studies also affect mutual trust. In times of disaster, trust is very important in establishing cooperation, and attitudes are a determining factor in this (Li et al., 2024).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFear is one of the most prominent emotions that emerges during disasters (G\u0026uuml;zel, 2024:2), and the feeling of fear affects decision-making processes and attitudes towards events.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePositive attitudes and behaviours of disaster workers in the face of events affect the process in many ways. We can evaluate these aspects under the following headings:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eMorale and motivation\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the aftermath of events such as disasters that cause many negative consequences, it is very important for aid workers to show commitment to their duties and keep their motivation high in order to reach people in need of help in a timely and effective manner. In addition, individuals who show high motivation in the face of negative situations can act more determined and willingly despite the challenging conditions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eStress and emotional management\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe fact that there is a lot of destruction and death after the disaster and the number of people in need of help is very high makes these environments very stressful and emotionally charged. In such chaotic environments, it is necessary to manage to stay calm and control attitudes and behaviours by providing stress management.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eCoordination and co-operation\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn disaster areas, many teams have to work in a coordinated manner. Disaster workers should enable this situation with their attitudes and behaviours so that people who are strangers to each other can act together for a common purpose.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDecision making process\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eHaving a positive and proactive attitude in times of crisis enables quick and correct decisions to be made. Negative attitudes and behaviours displayed in the face of events may cause the process to be prolonged and erroneous decisions may be made. Positive attitudes of disaster and relief workers play a critical role in the successful outcome of the process. Exhibiting a positive and constructive attitude enables the formation of a synergy in the teams working in the disaster area and contributes to the increase in the resilience of individuals.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirefighting and emergency disaster management programmes train students to work in difficult conditions. Students who graduate from these programmes may have to be in danger of injury and death many times in their professional lives. The fact that a job constantly poses a lifethreatening danger to people may cause occupational traumas and negative attitudes towards events (Tatoğlu, 2020:11). When the studies on firefighters in the literature are examined, it is seen that they experience some psychosocial problems such as depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, which are effective on decision-making, attitudes and behaviours (Wagner et al. 1998; Boxer and Wild, 1993; \u0026Uuml;nal, 2014, Fortane, 1989; Ersland et al., 1989). The aim of our study is to understand the negative attitudes and behaviours of associate degree students studying in Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management programmes towards the problems in their lives and to examine the possible reasons underlying this situation from a qualitative perspective. Our research aims to discover how these individuals perceive problems, what are the reactions they develop when they face these problems, and how this situation will be reflected in their professional performance and what the effects may be. In addition, it is also aimed to develop some suggestions for reducing negative attitudes and behaviours in the light of the data obtained. In this context, face-to-face interviews were also conducted with some students.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Method","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study is a quantitative research and general survey model was applied. In order to determine the negative attitudes and behaviours of firefighting and emergency disaster management programme students towards problems, a scale was applied to the students. In the study, the differences of students' attitudes and behaviours in terms of certain variables were analysed by using relational screening model. Within the scope of the study, the levels of negative attitudes and behaviours of the participants towards problems were determined. A five-point Likert-type scale was used for the study (1-does not fit at all, 5-fits extremely). Before the application of the scale, the purpose of data collection, the content of the scale and the study were explained to the participants. The importance of the research for people working in the field of humanitarian aid was mentioned, and it was mentioned that it could have an impact on solving some professional problems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWorking Group\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study group of our research consists of students studying in civil defence firefighting and emergency disaster management programmes in Turkey in 2024\u0026ndash;2025. For the research, the scale was applied to volunteer participants from seven different universities. The research data were collected entirely on a voluntary basis and the scale was applied on an online form. The research was conducted in accordance with ethical values and the privacy of the participants was taken care of.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eNegative Attitude towards Problems Scale\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the study, the \"Negative Attitude Towards Problems Scale\" (POT\u0026Ouml;), which was adapted into Turkish by Akyay (2016) and whose validity and reliability was established, was used. The scale measures the inability of individuals to develop solutions to the problems they encounter in their daily lives. It is a self-assessment type scale. The lowest score that the participants can get from the scale is 12 and the highest score is 60 (Akyay, 2016:21).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eThe Data\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe collected data were analysed using Jamovi package programme. Descriptive statistics (mean, frequency, maximum and minimum value and percentage), independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical data were used in the analysis of the data. The scale does not have any sub-dimensions. The results of the analyses were interpreted by determining the significance level p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.005.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Findings","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe Cronbach's a value of our research was found to be 0.919 and found to be sufficient. A total of 308 volunteers from seven different universities participated in our research. Introductory information about the participants is given in table-1.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInformation about participants\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWoman\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e135\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43,8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMan\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e173\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e56,2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProgram\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirefighting\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e196\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e63,6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmergency Disaster Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e112\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36,4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eClass\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1st grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e147\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47,7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2nd grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e161\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52,3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHave you received spiritual help before?\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11,7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e272\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e88,3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe average age of the participants was 19.6 years. The distribution of ages is given in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2:\u003c/strong\u003e Age distribution table of participants\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 38.9851%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e%\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51.2376%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.5%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51.2376%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.8%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e99\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51.2376%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e78\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51.2376%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25.3%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51.2376%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.7%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51.2376%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51.2376%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 31.1881%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 18.9356%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 51.2376%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.0% \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/br\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Taba\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt is seen that there are more men than women in the individuals who participated in the research, and the reason for this situation is that men prefer the firefighting programme more than women. Programme-based gender distribution is given in Table-3.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable-3: program based gender distribution\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProgram\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e% of Total\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMan\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmergency and Disaster Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.1%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCivil Defense and Firefighting\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e148\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e48.1%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWoman\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmergency and Disaster Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.2%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCivil Defense and Firefighting\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.6%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.7% of the participants stated that they received help for a mental distress. Of these, 2.3% (7) were male and 9.4% (29) were female. In the analyses, a significant difference was found between male and female individuals in terms of having mental problems and having received help. It was determined that women who received education in these programmes had more mental problems than men.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe average score of the participants was found to be 21. As the score value increases, it is understood that the individual is more prone to show a negative attitude. The mean score of men and women was calculated as 19.8 and 22.4, respectively. In the one-way ANOVA analysis, it is seen that there is a significant difference between men and women in terms of mean score. It is understood that women have more negative attitudes towards problems than men. No significant difference was found in the class-based ANOVA tests. On the other hand, when we look at the results of the programme-based analysis, it is calculated that the average score of the candidate students is 23.1 and the average score of the firefighting students is 19.7. In the ANOVA analyses, it was determined that there was a significant difference between both groups (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001). The fact that there are more female students in the EDM programme and that women are more prone to exhibit negative attitudes than men shows that the data obtained are consistent with each other.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA quite different significance was found between those who had received help for a mental illness before and those who had not. The mean score of those who had been treated for a mental illness before was 29.9, while the mean score of those who had not received any help was 19.8.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe fact that the F value is high and the p value is well below the significance limit shows that the difference between the variables is strongly supported. Based on this result, it can be concluded that those who have had a problem with a mental issue before or who have received a mental treatment in the past are more inclined to exhibit negative attitudes and behaviours and are inadequate in producing solutions to problems.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipants were asked whether they trusted their abilities in problem solving. 4.2% (13) of the men and 7.5% (23) of the women stated that they did not trust their own abilities in problem solving.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA large proportion (20) of those who had previously received psychosocial assistance (36) stated that they were not confident in solving problems. 55.1% of the participants stated that they perceived the problems as bigger than they were and tended to see them as a threat to themselves.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere was no significant difference between male and female participants in their answers to these two questions. 22.5% (69) of the participants stated that the problems they encountered disrupted their functioning, 13% (34) stated that they could not overcome the problems at all, and 13% stated that they could not find any solution in some cases 4.1% (13) of the male participants and 8.7% (27) of the female participants stated that finding solutions to problems did not suit them. In this question, the participants were told that the problems mentioned could be not only mental but also professional problems and they were asked to answer by taking this into consideration.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn this study, it was aimed to determine the attitudes and behaviours of firefighting and EDM students in the face of negative situations. Considering that these individuals will often face problems in their professional lives, they need to show resistance to problems and find effective solutions. In this respect, their behaviours in the face of problems are very important in terms of increasing their professional performance and providing healthier service to the people they help. The results of the research can be summarised as follows in the light of the findings obtained;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe effect of gender on negative attitudes: It was determined that female students had more negative attitudes towards problems than male students. According to the scale data, the mean score of female students was 22.4 and the mean score of male students was 19.8. The mean score of female students is significantly higher than male students. This situation can be explained by the fact that women are more sensitive and tend to have an emotional approach to problems.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe relationship between programme type and negative attitude: The average score of the students studying in the EDM programme is 23.1, while the average score of the Firefighting students is 19.7. Although the programmes are close to each other in terms of education and curriculum, the fact that there are more female students in the EDM programme is the explanation for this significant score difference. The point we need to emphasise here is that it is important for individuals to research the programmes they will apply to well during the preference phase. It is a vital necessity to know the graduation requirements, education conditions and employment opportunities of the programmes. Providing this information on the web pages of the programmes for the prospective students who will make a preference will shed light on the subject.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe effect of receiving psychological help: It was found that the scale scores of the participants who had received help for a mental problem before (29.9) were significantly higher than the scores of the participants who had not received help (19.8). This shows that individuals who have experienced mental problems in the past are more prone to exhibit negative attitudes and behaviours in the face of problems. In face-to-face interviews, it was observed that the participants' point of view was in this direction. In addition, it was determined that the majority of these individuals did not trust their own abilities to find a solution when faced with a problem. In order to solve this situation, a health report may be requested at the stage of enrolment in these programmes. It is concluded that those who have undergone severe psychological treatment in the past and those who are currently undergoing this treatment are not cognitively suitable for such professions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbility to perceive and solve problems: 55.1 per cent of the participants stated that they tend to perceive the problems they face as bigger than they are and that they see these problems as a threat. In addition, 22.5 per cent stated that the problems disrupted their functioning and 13 per cent stated that they could not overcome the problems or had difficulty in finding solutions. In professions such as firefighting and search and rescue, it is necessary to understand the problem and take the right action as soon as possible. It is very difficult for people who have difficulty in finding solutions to problems in daily life to analyse solutions under the influence of intense stress factors during professional practice. Too many stimuli from the environment will create pressure on the individual to solve problems. Firefighter and rescuer candidates should be able to neutralise this pressure and focus on saving lives. When necessary, they may need to calm not only themselves but sometimes their teammates and sometimes the relatives of the victims. For such situations, rescuers and firefighters should quickly perceive the situation at the scene.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender and Problem Solving Confidence: No significant difference was found between male and female participants regarding problem solving skills. Both men and women are confident in their ability to propose a solution to the problem they face. Here, a significant difference was observed among individuals who had previously received psychological help. When this situation is considered from a professional point of view, it has shown that women can find solutions to the problems encountered during field duties at the same rate as men. This situation shows that everyone who specialises in disaster management can take part in this field without gender discrimination.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs a result of the analysis of the data obtained throughout the research, it is seen that factors such as age, gender, type of programme and especially having mental problems in the past are determinative in developing negative attitudes and behaviours in the face of problems. The most determinant variable here was the history of psychological trauma. The majority (55.6%) of the individuals who received help for a mental problem stated that they did not trust themselves in problem solving. This situation reveals an important determinant in terms of professional performance. In situations where human life depends on a decision to be made within minutes and sometimes seconds, the personnel on duty must take decision(s) confidently and quickly. The hesitation that may be experienced in decision making may result in the end of human life. Such situations may then cause the responsible personnel to feel more pressure and conscientiously disturbed. As a solution, people who are not in full psychological health can be made to reconsider their professional preferences or psychological professional competence tests can be applied to candidates for this profession.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt is known that similar tests are also conducted in other professional groups. For example, the psychological health status of pilot candidates is given great importance, so they are subjected to some psychological tests to determine their stress levels, to determine their ability to make decisions under stress and to understand whether there is a mental problem in the past period (Anuk, 2022: 101). In addition, individuals who are currently working in humanitarian aid and often have to make decisions under stress should be subjected to some mental health tests and should be supported psychosocially from time to time.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe findings obtained show that individuals with negative attitudes towards problems feel inadequate in producing solutions and this situation may have negative effects on educational processes. Therefore, it is recommended that training programmes and psychological support mechanisms that will improve students' problem solving skills should be increased in these programmes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt is thought that developing negative attitudes towards problems has an effect on the educational process. It is seen that female students and individuals who have received psychological help in the past perceive problems more negatively than they really are and have difficulty in finding solutions. This situation may cause groups to lack motivation in their educational life. It is observed by the educators that people with a lack of motivation in terms of profession behave incompatible in acting as a team in applied courses such as fire intervention techniques and search and rescue skills.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the study, the rate of people who perceive problems as threats was calculated as 55.1%, which is quite high. This attitude may weaken students' perception of professional competence. If a student does not feel himself/herself professionally competent during the education process and experiences this to an extent that is noticeable from the outside, it may cause him/her to be subjected to psychological pressure by his/her fellow students. In the education process, the thought of \"I cannot do this job\" may directly affect their own learning outcomes in a negative way.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eStudents perceiving the problems as bigger than they are and being inadequate in producing solutions will cause the group dynamics to be affected. All rescue activities are carried out as part of a team. Failure to keep up with group dynamics may result in exclusion from the team. It is obvious that people who exhibit negative attitudes and magnify problems will also have problems with instructors in the educational environment. These individuals may create more conflicts in their relations with their classmates and instructors and may negatively affect the general psychological climate in the educational environment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSome steps can be taken to positively affect the educational processes of students with negative attitudes; increasing problem solving practices, counselling services can be provided especially for students with a diagnosis of mental treatment in the past, team activities can be implemented more intensively and students with negative attitudes can be given more responsibility. These practices will ensure that the problems of students with negative attitudes are addressed both at the group level and individually. In conclusion, it is recommended to increase the trainings that will improve the problem solving ability of students in firefighting and EDM programmes and to activate psychosocial support mechanisms.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeclaration of funds:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo funding was provided by any institution or individual in the creation of this manuscript.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthic Declaration:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was approved by the Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University with the decision dated 07.05.2025 and numbered GO 2025/1478. The study was conducted in full accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were informed about the purpose and scope of the study, and written informed consent was obtained from each participant on a voluntary basis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to participate\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll respondents who participated in this study provided their consent to participate. All respondents signed an informed consent form to strengthen their willingness to participate in this study.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets used in this study are accessible upon request from the corresponding author.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMT Conducted research and literature review related to the study. Prepared figures and tables. Wrote the main manuscript text.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no funding source for this manuscript.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor İnformation\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProperty Protection and Security Department, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur / Turkey\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMurat Tatoğlu\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\[email protected]\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAkdemir, B. (2010). A research on the comparison of stress factors of dismissed and employed employees during the crisis. Istanbul University Journal of Business Faculty, 39(1), 125-140. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAkyay, A. (2016). Worry and anxiety scale, negative attitude towards problems scale and cognitive avoidance scale, Turkish adaptation, validity and reliability (Master\u0026apos;s thesis, Institute of Social Sciences). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnuk, D. (2022). The Importance of Psychological Characteristics in Pilot Selection and Evaluation Methods. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoxer, P. A., \u0026amp; Wild, D. (1993). Psychological distress and alcohol use among fire fighters. Scandinavian journal of work, environment \u0026amp; health, 121-125. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErsland, S., Weis\u0026aelig;th, L., \u0026amp; Sund, A. (1989). The stress upon rescures involved in an oil rig disaster. \u0026quot;Alexander L. Kielland\u0026quot; 1980. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 80, 38-49. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eG\u0026uuml;ng\u0026ouml;r, M. (2012). The relationship between university students\u0026apos; problem solving skills and family types and family attitudes. Qualitative Studies, 7(4), 40-51. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eG\u0026uuml;zel, Aysun, (2024). Developing the Fear of Disasters Scale and Exploring Its Psychometric Properties, \u003cem\u003eDepression and Anxiety\u003c/em\u003e, 2024, 5565403, 11 pages. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeppner, P. P., Witty, T. E., \u0026amp; Dixon, W. A. (2004). Problem-solving appraisal: Helping normal people lead better lives. The Counselling Psychologist, 32(3), 466-472. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHogg, M., A., Vaughan, G. M., (2007), Sosyal Psikoloji, \u0026Uuml;topya Yayınları, Ankara. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKaynak, \u0026Uuml;., \u0026amp; Işık, Ş. (2024). Protect Unity and Solidarity, Be Healthy: The Effect of Psycho-Education Programme for Developing Social Interest. Education and Science, 49(220). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKurbanoğlu, N. İ., \u0026amp; Takunyacı, M. (2012). Investigation of high school students\u0026apos; anxiety, attitude and self-efficacy beliefs towards mathematics course in terms of gender, school type and grade level. International Journal of Human Sciences, 9(1), 110-130. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLi, K., Yu, F., Yang, S., \u0026amp; Guo, Y. (2024). How Trust in the Government\u0026apos;s Flood Response Influences Perception of Flood Hazard Risk: Experimental Evidences in China. \u003cem\u003eAnalyses of Social Issues and Public Policy\u003c/em\u003e, 24, 1174\u0026ndash;1188. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMcFarlane, A. C. (1989). The aetiology of post-traumatic morbidity: Predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 154(2), 221-228. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmith, M. B. (1968). Attitude change international encyclopedia of the social sciences. Farmington Hills, Michigan, 43-48. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eŞahin, Ş. (2019). Disaster management in Turkey and 2023 targets. 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Prevalence of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in German professional firefighters. American journal of psychiatry, 155(12), 1727-1732. World Health Organization. Disaster and emergencies definitions. Training Package. Panafrican Emergency Training Centre, Addis Ababa. 2002. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYıldırım, B., \u0026amp; \u0026Ouml;zkahraman, Ş. (2011). Problem solving in nursing. S\u0026uuml;leyman Demirel University Journal of Health Sciences, 2(3), 155-159. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Firefighting, attitude, behaviour","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6852962/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6852962/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aims to examine the negative attitudes and behaviors of students enrolled in Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management (EDM) programmes in Turkey when faced with challenges. The research seeks to understand the causes of these negative attitudes, evaluate their impacts, and develop solutions. The study employed a quantitative research method and general survey model. Participants were administered the \"Negative Attitude Towards Problems Scale\" (NATPS) developed by Akyay (2016). The research involved 308 students from seven different universities in Turkey during the 2024\u0026ndash;2025 academic year. Data were collected through an online form and statistically analysed using the Jamovi software package. The research findings indicate that certain variables significantly influence negative attitudes. These variables can be summarised as follows: The effect of gender: Female students' negative attitude scores were found to be significantly higher than those of male students. Programme type: Students enrolled in the EDM programme scored higher in negative attitudes compared to those in the firefighting programme. Receiving psychological support: Students who had previously received psychological support exhibited more negative attitudes than those who had not. Perception of problems: 55.1% of the participants tended to perceive problems as larger than they actually were, which negatively impacted their problemsolving abilities. To reduce negative attitudes, it is recommended to include training programmes that develop problem-solving skills and to strengthen psychosocial support mechanisms. Furthermore, counseling services and applied group activities should be expanded to enhance students\u0026rsquo; sense of professional competence and facilitate their adaptation to teamwork.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Investigation of Negative Attitudes in Vocational Education: Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-07-01 06:43:08","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6852962/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"5ff960a8-1028-4dc6-a869-b7e1d5a55aef","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 1st, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-09-30T14:23:51+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-07-01 06:43:08","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6852962","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6852962","identity":"rs-6852962","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}