The evidence for sex differences in psychiatric disorder is discussed. Evidence for such differences in overall mental health is confounded by methodological problems, but there is strong support for sex differences in depressive disorders. Females had consistently higher rates of depression and depressive symptomatology than males. Both sex-role explanations and biological explanations were suggested to account for these differences. A sex-role explanation was discussed. The relation between depressive symptomatology and traditional and nontraditional sex-role relationships in the family in terms of division of labor were discussed. In nontraditional relationships, males had higher levels of depressive symptoms than females. Support is given to a sex-role basis for sex differences in depressive symptomatology.