Gender Differences: Implications for Social Skills Assessment and Training

I discuss the implications of gender differences in children's social development for the conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of social skills in girls and boys. First, I present a brief review of girls' and boys' social development, predominantly during middle childhood. There are indications that girls and boys acquire different social skills, values, and goals. In the main section of this article, I discuss the clinical relevance of these gender differences. Gender is a factor that needs to be recognized in the development of social skills assessment and treatment programs.