Sexual experiences, attitudes, enjoyment and regret in the parent and offspring generations of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Childhood (ALSPAC): 2022 data sweep. [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

The aim of this data note is to describe data collected in 2022 on sexual history, attitudes, enjoyment and regret. Data were collected from mothers (age range 47–75 years (mean 60.0), n = 4653) their partners (age range 47-83 years (mean 62.9), n= 1945) and offspring (aged ~30 years, females n= 2702, males n=1366) in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents & Children (ALSPAC). Many of the questions asked are identical, or similar, to those collected in the British NATSAL (National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes & Lifestyles). Repeating the same questions in both ALSPAC generations allows for direct inter-generational comparisons within ALSPAC as well as across studies. Areas covered include age at sexual debut; having drunk alcohol, used drugs or contraception at sexual debut; the circumstances under which participants met their first sexual partner; sexual orientation; the Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale; regret at first sexual experience, lifetime experiences of sexual regret and the degree of regret, as well as the reason(s) for that regret; number of sexual partners both in the last two years and over their lifetime; current frequency and enjoyment of sex. ALSPAC provides a rich resource of data collected on a wide variety of topics including details of the participants’ environment, lifestyle, physical and mental health over the life span, including sexual experiences collected retrospectively from the parents, and from the age of 11 in the offspring. There are thus many opportunities for research on a wide variety of topics related to potentially risky and normal sexual behaviours, sexual health, functioning and well-being.