Objective: To understand the association of maternal emotional symptoms and parent-child relationship with emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) in primary school students, so as to provide a reference for the prevention of EBPs in primary school students. Methods: In May 2023, a convenient cluster sampling method was used to select 1 324 students from two primary schools in Hefei City, Anhui Province as the study subjects. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Family Adaptation and Cohesion Evaluation ScalesⅡ (FACES Ⅱ), and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) of parental version were used to investigate maternal emotional symptoms, parent-child relationship, and EBPs of primary school students, respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis model was used to analyze the association of different maternal emotional symptoms and parent-child relationship with EBPs of primary school students. Results: The abnormal detection rates of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity disorder, peer problems, prosocial behavior and total difficulties in primary school students were 13.6%, 19.4%, 20.2%, 36.5%, 20.9% and 51.9%, respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the detection rates of EBPs in primary school students whose mothers had anxiety and depression symptoms with low level of parent-child relationship increased ( OR=1.52-6.97, P <0.01). The combined effect of mothers who had anxiety and depression symptoms with low level of parent-child relationship increased the risk of EBPs in all dimensions of primary school students ( OR=4.07-10.14, P <0.01). After gender stratification, the combined effect of mothers who had anxiety and depression symptoms with low level of parent-child relationship increased the risk of EBPs in all dimensions of boys and girls ( OR=3.71- 10.95 , P <0.01). Conclusions Maternal emotional symptoms and parent-child relationship are associated with EBPs in primary school students. Reducing maternal anxiety and depression symptoms, and improving parent-child relationship are beneficial to reduce the incidence of EBPs problems in primary school students.