Objective: To analyze related behaviors of individual preparedness and influencing factors on violent terrorist attacks among undergraduates.
Methods: A total of 1 800 undergraduates from 5 colleges or universities in Guangzhou were selected, using the stratified cluster method. A questionnaire involving the response to violent terrorist attack behavior was used to assess the individual preparedness behaviors among undergraduates. A self-made questionnaire was applied to collect information on demographic factors, cognitive and preparedness behaviors.
Results: The mean score of individual preparedness behavior among undergraduates was 13.49 ± 5.02 while information on seeking behavior was 4.27 ± 1.64, avoidance behavior was 5.97 ± 2.16 and violent terrorist attack response behaviors was 23.73 ± 7.21, with 30.0 percent of undergraduates behaved properly. Significant differences were found in the scores of behaviors on the response to violent terrorist attack with different gender, major they pursue or religious belief (P < 0.05), among undergraduates involved in this study. Results from the logistic regression analysis revealed that persons being girls (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.06-2.01), with bigger perceived probability (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.12-2.30), with higher alertness (OR = 3.77, 95% CI: 2.15-6.61), with stronger coping confidence (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.24-0.48) and bigger affective response (OR1 = 3.42, 95% CI: 2.40-4.86; OR2 = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.13-0.41), would present more prominent behavior responses when facing the violent terrorist attack.
Conclusion: Individual response behaviors to violent terrorist attacks among undergraduates were relatively ideal. Perceived probability, alertness, coping confidence and affective response appeared to be independent influencing factors related to response behaviors against violent terrorist attack. In colleges and universities, awareness on violent terrorist attacks should be strengthened among undergraduates. Focus should target on psychological education dealing with disaster, knowledge and skills needed for emergency response, so as to respond to the emergency on campus.