Recent studies have indicated that bulimia, characterized by binge eating followed by depressed mood and purging, is increasing. To investigate the behavioral and emotional antecedents and consequences of binge eating in women, 22 female college students (14 diagnosed bulimics, 8 binge eaters) completed self-monitoring forms for four binges. Subjects recorded the antecedents, behaviors, and consequences surrounding their eating episodes. An analysis of the results showed that the affective, cognitive, and behavioral antecedents and consequences of binge eating were similar for the bulimic and binge eater groups. Binge eating was often precipitated by food-oriented thoughts accompanied by an anxious or depressive affective state. Binges occurred in private and lasted about an hour. Following binge eating, the women felt out of control and negatively about themselves (depressed, angry, or guilty). After eating, bulimic women attempted to counteract the effects of eating by exercising, vomiting, or taking laxatives, while women in the binge eater group tended to do nothing. The findings indicate that binge eating is surrounded by a number of emotional states in both bulimics and binge eaters, and suggest that treatment programs need to address personality variables as well as behavior in the treatment of bulimia and binge eating. (BL)