Childhood sexual experience and bulimia

The relationship between childhood sexual experiences and bulimia was examined. Sixty-three females completed the Bulimia Test (BULIT) and the Sexual Events Questionnaire. BULIT scores were positively correlated with greater numbers of sexual experiences, experiences with adults and relatives, and negative responses of fear or shock at the time of the sexual experience. A multiple regression analysis indicated that fear/shock was a significant predictor of BULIT scores, accounting for 44% of the variance. Additional analyses indicated that bulimics reported a greater number of fear reactions following their sexual experiences and were less likely to have told anyone about their experiences.