Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Students have been described as being both particularly vulnerable to natural disasters and highly resilient in recovery. In addition, they often have been treated as a distinct, homogeneous group sharing similar characteristics. This research tests these ideas through an examination of hurricane-related perceptions and preparations of students in a hurricane-prone area. A survey of over 500 undergraduate students (15% on-campus residents, 85% off campus) was conducted at the University of South Florida, a large, metropolitan- based university located in Tampa Bay, Florida, near the Gulf Coast. Following Mann–Whitney and Kruskal– Wallis tests, results showed that students were ill prepared for …