Screening for mental distress following the 2022 Marche Floods in Italy: A comparative study using the Kessler distress scale in directly affected individuals and a control group

This paper aims to examine the mental health impacts of the 2022 catastrophic flooding in Italy's Marche region by assessing levels of psychological distress among directly affected residents and comparing them with a nonaffected control group. Using survey data from 698 participants and the short Kessler Distress Scale (K6) as a screening tool, the study seeks to isolate the specific influence of flood exposure on mental health outcomes, distinguishing it from other underlying factors. Ultimately, the paper contributes evidence on how climate change-driven extreme weather events shape population-level mental distress and deepens understanding of the psychological toll of increasingly frequent flooding events.

Results show that directly affectedrespondents exhibit a 13.1%-16.7% higher prevalence rate of indications of severe mental distress compared to the control group.The significant impact of the flood event on negative mental health outcomes is further confirmed by regression analyses, whichshow a direct influence of several flood stressors on severe mental distress, including physical health impacts and higher waterlevels on one's own building. Since mental illness is associated with high burdens for those affected and their families, as well ashigh socioeconomic costs, this aspect deserves more attention in postdisaster contexts.