Factors associated with sexual regret in a college sample: The differential impact of alcohol

Research suggests that 50-75% of college students report participating in casual sex, such as hooking up. Casual sex and the phenomenon of “hooking up” are associated with consequences including sexual regret. This study was an attempt to understand what factors were associated with sexual regret among college students in a rural Midwestern state. An online survey (N = 481) of a random sample of college students at three state universities was conducted to investigate behaviors related to sexual and reproductive health, including whether or not they had experienced sexual regret in the last twelve months. Logistic regression was used to assess how variables such as alcohol use, contraceptive self-efficacy, and past contraceptive behavior predicted sexual regret. Overall, 32.4% of respondents reported having sexual intercourse they regretted in the past 12 months, while 73% indicated alcohol was involved in the situation. When controlling for other factors, findings suggested that, compared to men who have five or more drinks when socializing, women who have five or more drinks were 5.46 times more likely to report having regretted sex in the last 12 months (p < .05). Additionally, college men and women who reported they used birth control the last time were less likely to have reported experiencing sexual regret in the last 12 months when controlling for other factors (OR = .433, p < .05). Implications for future research and public health interventions that consider sexual regret and alcohol will be discussed.