Prospective studies have supported the validity of Vochs and colleagues’ three-factor interactive etiologic model of bulimic symptomatology (BS) among female undergraduates.

Given the comparable rate of binge eating between young adult men and women, we sought to examine for the first time the validity and sensitivity of the interactive model of BS in men.

We examined whether the interaction between Perfectionism x Male Body Dissatisfaction x Low Self-Esteem predicted increases in BS over 1-year (Study 1) and over 6-weeks (Study 2). Two different samples of college men were used. Time-1 BS scores as well as Time-1 and Time-2 Body Mass Index, Depression and Social Desirability scores were controlled for.

Data from college men (Study 1: N = 308, Mage = 21.04; Study 2: N = 344; Mage = 20.87) were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression/correlation procedure on participants’ Time-2 BS scores.

Both studies revealed that an increase of BS in men was predicted by the Perfectionism x Male Body Dissatisfaction x Low Self-Esteem interaction. BS increased in men who initially had high levels of BS and perfectionism, low levels of selfesteem, and were dissatisfied with their body. However, men with initially low or average levels of BS did not have an increase in BS even if they were perfectionistic, body dissatisfied and had low self-esteem.

The results support the interactive model's ability to predict increases of BS; however, the support is in regard to the maintenance of BS, not the onset of BS.