Maternal separation anxiety influences maternal behavior, attitudes about employment, and employment decisions made by mothers. This study examined the relationship between maternal separation anxiety and the number of hours a child was in substitute care. The sample consisted of 44 mothers and their children who ranged in age from 12 to 41 months from 2 urban child care centers. It was expected that maternal separation anxiety and employment related variables would be associated with the type and frequency of behaviors that a mother displayed when interacting with her child at separation and reunion. Results demonstrated relationships between maternal separation anxiety and maternal behavior at reunion. Mothers reporting high separation anxiety and who utilized child care on a less than full-time basis displayed more frequent physically and verbally affectionate behaviors with their children as compared to high anxious/full-time child care mothers. These results suggest that situational and dispositional variables may combine to influence maternal behavior at reunion with the child. The relationships between self-reported maternal separation anxiety and maternal behavior at reunion demonstrated in this study support the validity of the maternal separation anxiety construct. (JBJ)