Background <p>Effective disaster preparedness is essential for public health. This study examined how sociodemographic factors and cognitive flexibility relate to disaster preparedness among urban community residents.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted with 552 participants in Balikesir. The General Disaster Preparedness Scale (GDPS) was used as the dependent variable, and linear regression analysis explored its predictors.</p> Results <p>The mean GDPS score was 160.63 ± 19.17, indicating a moderate level of preparedness. Higher preparedness was associated with higher education, prior disaster preparation, knowledge of home valve operations, following disaster-related news, awareness of emergency assembly locations, and higher cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility was a significant independent predictor of disaster preparedness (β = 0.163, p &lt; 0.001). The model explained 25% of the variance in preparedness (Adjusted R² = 0.25).</p> Conclusion <p>Disaster preparedness was not optimal despite moderate levels. Both practical preparedness behaviors and cognitive flexibility significantly contributed to preparedness. As a modifiable psychological resource, cognitive flexibility represents a promising target for community-based public health interventions aimed at enhancing disaster resilience.</p>