biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)Smith LENational Institute for Health Research (NIHR)Social mixing contributes to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We developed a composite measure for risky social mixing, investigating changes during the pandemic and factors associated with risky mixing. Forty-five waves of online cross-sectional surveys were used (n = 78,917 responses; 14 September 2020 to 13 April 2022). We investigated socio-demographic, contextual and psychological factors associated with engaging in highest risk social mixing in England at seven timepoints. Patterns of social mixing varied over time, broadly in line with changes in restrictions. Engaging in highest risk social mixing was associated with being younger, less worried about COVID-19, perceiving a lower risk of COVID-19, perceiving COVID-19 to be a less severe illness, thinking the risks of COVID-19 were beScientific reports10436https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9212204biostudies-literaturePatterns of social mixing in England changed in line with restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2020 to April 2022).PMC9212204Rubin GJPotts HWWMichie SAmlot RSmith LEFear NTfalsePatterns of social mixing in England changed in line with restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2020 to April 2022).Social mixing contributes to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We developed a composite measure for risky social mixing, investigating changes during the pandemic and factors associated with risky mixing. Forty-five waves of online cross-sectional surveys were used (n = 78,917 responses; 14 September 2020 to 13 April 2022). We investigated socio-demographic, contextual and psychological factors associated with engaging in highest risk social mixing in England at seven timepoints. Patterns of social mixing varied over time, broadly in line with changes in restrictions. Engaging in highest risk social mixing was associated with being younger, less worried about COVID-19, perceiving a lower risk of COVID-19, perceiving COVID-19 to be a less severe illness, thinking the risks of COVID-19 were be2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jun2025-05-29T22:25:27.946Z2025-04-21T14:38:46.508ZS-EPMC92122043572919610.1038/s41598-022-14431-3