Dong, A.H., Kang, J.E. (2026). The impact of community resilience on subjective well-being??A multi-level structural equation model analysis in Busan, South Korea. Sustainable Cities and Society, 145, 107448.

Increasingly frequent climate-induced disasters have raised urgent concerns regarding their impact on urban residents'’ quality of life. However, a significant empirical gap remains in understanding how macro-level x-x-objective community resilience interacts with micro-level psychological factors to shape individual well-being. Accordingly, this study examines the following research question: To what extent does community-level disaster resilience contribute to individual subjective well-being (SWB) through the mediation of disaster impacts and safety perceptions? Focusing on the coastal metropolis of Busan, South Korea, this study examines the relationship between community-level disaster resilience and individual subjective well-being (SWB). Using data from 17,777 individuals across Busan's 16 districts, we employ multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) to analyze the interplay of community factors (disaster resilience and disaster impact) and individual factors (economic status, social capital, and disaster perception). Results reveal that, within the Busan context, higher economic status and social trust are positively associated with perceived disaster safety, while the impact of disasters is negatively associated with it. Notably, community resilience does not have a direct association with SWB; rather, this relationship is fully mediated through two pathways: by reducing tangible disaster damage and enhancing residents’ perceived disaster safety. These findings provide critical, geographical place-based evidence for policymakers in Busan and other similar port cities. Ultimately, this study contributes to the literature by providing a multilevel empirical framework connecting x-x-objective urban resilience (4R) to SWB and offering policy insights that emphasize both physical infrastructure and strategic communication for building public trust.

Keywords : Disaster resilience, Subjective well-being, Multilevel structural equation modeling, Climate change

연구과제 : 연구재단(폭염대응)

DOI 링크 : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2026.107448