Resource Loss as Predictor of the Way Farmers Cope with Drought: A Structural Model Approach

This survey-study carried out among 360 randomly selected farmers living in drought-prone areas of Fars Province, Iran, set out to investigate the perceptions and psychological coping strategies of farmers when facing drought. Results showed that farmers perceived drought as a threat to all of their resources (material, conditions, personal, social and energies) and used emotion-focused and reactive problem-focused coping strategies rather than problem-focused strategies that require planning and being innovative to counteract its psychological consequences. Using structural equations modeling (SEM), relationships between perceived resource loss and the way farmers cope with drought were tested. Problem-focused coping was predicted by a greater loss of objects (e.g., yield, work utilities, land) and personal resources (e.g. motivation, patience and self-efficacy), but a smaller loss of energies (e.g. time and money). Predictors of emotion-focused coping were a greater loss of objects and energies, but smaller losses of condition and personal resources. The implications for educational interventions are discussed.