Sixty-three women with clinical and urodynamic evidence of stress incontinence were evaluated before and after incontinence surgery for symptoms of depression, nervousness, tension, sleep disturbances, decreased appetite, somatic weakness and headaches. Women treated successfully with surgery demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in their subjective psychologic status (P less than .05). Unsuccessful treatment, however, was not associated with a significant change in or deterioration of their symptoms. All the symptoms were evaluated individually to ascertain the specific effects of treatment. Sleep disturbances were significantly improved with successful treatment and worsened with unsuccessful treatment (P less than .05). Tension was significantly improved with successful therapy (P less than .05) but was unchanged if surgery was unsuccessful. Depression became worse with subjectively unsuccessful surgery. Headaches and appetite were not affected by the therapeutic outcome. Therapy can be instrumental in affecting the psychologic status of women with stress incontinence. If the psychologic disability continues after therapy and/or treatment is unsuccessful, a referral for psychologic evaluation should be considered.