Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Postoperative pain is still the most common and anticipated problem following surgery and inadequate post-operative pain management remains problematic. There is a significant variation in post-operative pain experience of patients following identical surgical procedures and this has been related to a variety of psychological factors. Depression has been considered a predictor of post-operative pain. The overall aim of the study was to determine the relationship between depressive symptoms and subjective pain experienced in dental surgery. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administrated to a sample of 35 patients presenting with dental impaction to assess general depression severity. Participants were assigned to one of two groups using a cutoff score of 10 on the BDI. Pain was measured by a Visual analog pain scale. The results showed that participants with pre-operative depressive symptoms had a trend to experience more pain pre-operatively but less pain post-operatively than participants without depressive symptoms this difference was however not statistically significant. No significant correlations were found between the presence of depressive symptoms pre-operative and pain perception pre-operatively and post-operatively. However significant relationships were found between the absence of depressive symptoms pre-operative and pain perception pre-operatively and post-operatively. Pre-operative depressive symptoms were also found to be predictive of post-operative depressive symptoms. The study concluded that pain and depression co-occur, but the direction of causality is not clearly understood. The use of psychotherapeutic tools for identifying pre-operative predictors for intense post-operative pain will enhance the quality of pain management and therefore has a positive impact on the quality of life of the patient. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Post-operatiewe pyn is een van die mees algemene en verwagte probleme na afloop van chirurgie en onvoldoende behandeling van die pyn bly problematies. Daar is 'n beduidende verskil in die ervaring van post-operatiewe pyn van pasiënte na identiese chirurgiese prosedures en dit hou verband met 'n verskeidenheid van sielkundige faktore. Depressie word beskou as 'n voorspeller van post-operatiewe pyn. Die hoof doel van die studie was om die verhouding tussen depressiewe simptome en subjektiewe pyn ervaring in tandheelkundige chirurgie te bepaal. Die Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is gebruik om die erns van algemene depressie onder ‘n steekproef van 35 pasiënte wat presenteer met tand impaksie te evalueer. 'n Afsny-telling van 10 is gebruik om die deelnemers toe te wys aan een van twee groepe. Pyn was gemeet deur 'n Visuele analog pynskaal (VAS). Die resultate het getoon dat deelnemers met pre-operatiewe depressiewe simptome 'n neiging het om meer pyn pre-operatief, maar minder pyn post-operatief te ervaar as deelnemers sonder depressiewe simptome. Die verskil was egter nie statisties beduidend nie. Geen beduidende korrelasies is gevind tussen die teenwoordigheid van pre-operatiewe depressiewe simptome en die persepsie van pyn pre-operatief en post-operatief nie. Beduidende verbande is egter gevind tussen die afwesigheid van pre-operatiewe depressiewe simptome en persepsie van pyn pre-operatief en post-operatief. Pre-operatiewe depressiewe simptome het ook post-operatiewe depressiewe simptome voorspel. Die studie het bevind dat pyn en depressie saam voorkom maar die rigting van oorsaak is nie uitgewys. Die gebruik van psigoterapeutiese instrumente vir identifisering van pre-operatiewe voorspellers vir intense post-operatiewe pyn sal die gehalte van pynbehandeling verbeter en sodoende 'n positiewe impak op die kwaliteit van lewe van die pasiënt hê.