Prior studies investigating the relationship between childhood
sexual abuse and bulimia have yielded mixed to weak empirical support
for such an association. The current research, utilizing relatively
restrictive definitions of abuse and bulimia, obtained significant
associations between bulimia, sexual abuse, and a chaotic family
environment in female college students. Among abuse victims, severity
of abuse was also associated with bulimia. Although some analyses
suggested that a chaotic family environment moderated the
abuse--bulimia association, sexual abuse, and family environment
appeared to combine in an additive manner to increase the probability
of bulimia.