This study examined the short-term association between daily parental job stress and subsequent patterns of interaction between parent and child. Subjects were 30 mothers each with a preschool child between the ages of 3 and 5 years. Mothers were employed in a variety of white-collar occupations. For 5 consecutive days, mothers completed a questionnaire concerning their job stress during the work day. Two occupational conditions, namely, perceived work load and qualiaty of social interaction with coworkers and supervisors, were measured. Each evening, mothers completed another questionnaire assessing aversiveness and withdrawal during their interactions with their children that evening. Results indicated that there was no increase in aversiveness after high stress days at work. There was a relation between daily work load and parent-child withdrawal, but no relation between distressing social interactions and parent-child withdrawal. Eight references are cited. (BC)