Prevalence of, and Gender Differences in College Students’ Experiences of Alcohol-Related Regretted Sex: a Scoping Review

College students’ alcohol-related regretted sex is linked to adverse health outcomes. However, studies report inconsistent prevalence estimates and gender differences. A search of five databases yielded 15 studies. Lifetime alcohol-related regretted sex prevalence ranged from 14%-48% for women and 38%-47% for men; past year ranged 18%-34% for women and 22%-28% for men; past six months was reported as 18% for women and 15% for men; past month was 12% for women and 11% for men. Two studies found men more likely to regret alcohol-related sex, one found women more likely, two reported mixed results, and 10 found no significant gender differences. Findings suggest alcohol-related regretted sex is not a consistently gendered phenomenon among college students which has implications for the development of universal vs. group-specific interventions. Longitudinal studies of types of regretted sex among diverse students are needed to examine changes over time and inform age-specific interventions.