The clinician perspective on sex differences in autism spectrum disorders

Theory and research on sex differences in adjustment focus largely on parental, societal, and biological influences. However, it also is important to consider how peers contribute to girls' and boys' development. This article provides a critical review of sex differences in several peer relationship processes, including behavioral and social-cognitive styles, stress and coping, and relationship provisions. The authors present a speculative peer-socialization model based on this review in which the implications of these sex differences for girls' and boys' emotional and behavioral development are considered. Central to this model is the idea that sex-linked relationship processes have costs and benefits for girls' and boys' adjustment. Finally, the authors present recent research testing certain model components and propose approaches for testing understudied aspects of the model.

In this article we summarize our current understanding of depression in older (14-18 years old) adolescents based on our program of research (the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project). Specifically, we address the following factors regarding adolescent depression: (a) phenomenology (e.g., occurrence of specific symptoms, gender and age effects, community versus clinic samples); (b) epidemiology (e.g., prevalence, incidence, duration, onset age); (c) comorbidity with other mental and physical disorders; (d) psychosocial characteristics associated with being, becoming, and having been depressed; (e) recommended methods of assessment and screening; and (f) the efficacy of a treatment intervention developed for adolescent depression, the Adolescent Coping With Depression course. We conclude by providing a set of summary statements and recommendations for clinicians.