This communication aims at discussing the methodological challenges posed when there is interest in evaluating the impacts of risk communication processes. Such discussion will stand on a pilot experience assessment of a seismic risk protection communication held in two secondary schools of Lisbon (Portugal), under the EU KnowRISK project (Know your city, Reduce your seismic risk through non-structural elements).
The efficacy of education for seismic safety is often inhibited by an incomplete understanding of the process by which individuals decide to protect themselves from harm (Becker et al. 2012). Both risk communication program and impact assessment procedure were designed taking into account how social science describes the process by which individuals decide to act protectively. The Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM) by Weinstein and colleagues (1988; 2008), with insights coming from other approaches (Becker et al., 2012, 2013; Lindell et al., 2012), was a central theoretical basis.
Most methodological challenges posed were in the orbit of two basic questions: ‘what to assess?’ and ‘how to assess?’. Answering to the first-mentioned question implied to have into account the risk communication program, clarifying which cognitive and behavioral changes were realistically expectable in the context of an earthquake dormant society as is the case of Lisbon. Concerning the second-mentioned question, the impact assessment of risk communication procedure stood in a quasi-experimental research design, based on a survey conducted before and after the intervention at schools. This survey procedure was complemented a qualitative approach, based on the analysis of written materials and focus groups, in order to complement the limitations of quantitative approaches.
Both results and ‘lessons learned’ of the multi-method approach, adopted to assess the impacts of KnowRISK intervention, will be presented and discussed.