Merrill-Palmer Quarterly

Studies of friendship, sex, and gender come in many forms and address a set of questions that are as broad as the study of friendship itself. The papers in this special issue reveal gender differences in the features, processes, and outcomes related to friendship. This commentary aims to place these papers within the broader literature on peer relations. We show that each of these studies is just a beginning, however, as basic points about the origins and meanings of sex and gender effects deserve further focus and scrutiny. Suggestions are offered to promote the further development of research on sex, gender, and relationships with peers.