“Whence the strength?” This compelling question, posed by Aaron Antonovsky in 1979, sets the stage for understanding the role of sense of coherence (SOC), a human-focused psychosocial concept, in fostering resilience amidst escalating climate-induced disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. This paper is the first step in a larger research agenda aimed at exploring how the human experience of disasters, guided by Antonovsky’s SOC framework, can be better integrated into disaster recovery planning and design, laying the theoretical foundation for subsequent studies. This paper examines which supports help people stay resilient during disasters, focusing on the role of SOC in recovery. By integrating Antonovsky’s SOC concept with Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, it also draws from other published works on stress and disaster recovery to explore how disaster recovery planning and design can be improved. The findings indicate that the post-disaster recovery phase presents a critical window for implementing policies that address vulnerabilities in disaster-prone communities and enhance long-term resilience. Methodologically, this paper advocates for an interdisciplinary approach, suggesting that both quantitative and qualitative insights are vital for capturing human experiences in disaster contexts. Ultimately, this paper presents a framework for integrating human dimensions of resilience into disaster recovery planning.

“Whence the strength?" This compelling question, posed by Aaron Antonovsky in 1979, sets the stage for understanding the role of Sense of Coherence (SOC), a human-focused psychosocial concept, in fostering resilience amidst escalating climate-induced disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. This paper is the first step in a larger research agenda aimed at exploring how the human experience of disasters, guided by Antonovsky’s SOC framework, can be better integrated into disaster recovery planning and design, laying the theoretical foundation for subsequent studies. The paper examines what supports help people stay resilient during disasters, focusing on the role of SOC in recovery. Integrating Antonovsky's SOC concept with Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, it also draws from other published works on stress and disaster recovery to explore how disaster recovery planning and design can be improved. The findings indicate that the post-disaster recovery phase presents a critical window for implementing policies that address vulnerabilities in disaster-prone communities and enhance long-term resilience. Methodologically, the paper advocates for an interdisciplinary approach, suggesting that both quantitative and qualitative insights are vital for capturing human experiences in disaster contexts. Ultimately, this paper presents a framework for integrating human dimensions of resilience into disaster recovery planning.

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer promise for flood resilience in coastal communities, yet public support remains a barrier to implementation. In this study, we surveyed 153 residents in Wilmington, a flood-prone coastal city in North Carolina. Using Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), we examined how threat appraisal (e.g., perceived flood risk, past damage) and coping appraisal (e.g., confidence in NbS effectiveness, technical capacity) shape support for government-led NbS initiatives. We conducted a planned comparison of three regression models to test the relative importance of policy-controllable interventions. The full model explained 51% of variance in NbS support (R² = 0.510, p < .001). Coping appraisal factors, specifically access to technical assistance (β = 0.660, p < .001) and belief in NbS effectiveness (β = 0.291, p = .003), were the strongest predictors of public support. Threat appraisal factors, on the other hand, showed minimal influence on support levels. Critically, the model comparison revealed that technical assistance explained approximately four times more variance (ΔR² = 0.110) than cost coverage (ΔR² = 0.029). Moreover, full cost coverage's influence was entirely contingent on technical assistance availability: it showed no independent effect when examined alone (β = 0.149, p = .114) but became significantly negative when combined with technical assistance (β = -0.328, p = .012). These findings suggest that effective coastal NbS programs should prioritize capacity-building and evidence based communication over risk-based messaging or broad financial subsidies, offering guidance for scaling NbS in vulnerable coastal regions.