Which psychological disorder is primarily characterized by binge eating followed by purging behaviors?

The disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging behaviors is bulimia nervosa. In this eating disorder, individuals typically engage in episodes of consuming large quantities of food in a short period, known as binge eating. This is often followed by compensatory behaviors intended to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, the misuse of laxatives, fasting, or excessive exercise.

The key feature that distinguishes bulimia nervosa from other eating disorders is this cycle of binge eating and compensatory behavior. Individuals with this disorder often maintain a relatively normal weight, which can make it more challenging to identify without careful assessment.

Anorexia nervosa primarily involves restrictive eating and an intense fear of gaining weight, without the recurrent purging that defines bulimia. Binge eating disorder is characterized by binge eating without the compensatory purging behaviors. "Disordered eating not otherwise specified" encompasses a range of eating disturbances that do not meet the full criteria for other specified disorders but lacks specificity regarding purging behavior.