Selective cutting is an important method utilized in forest management and tends to change the species composition and structure of forest stands. Examining the impacts of various selective cutting methods on the spatial distribution pattern and associations of dominant tree species in forest community is important to optimize the forest structure and promote forest stability. In the present study, Pinus massoniana air seeded plantation in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area were selected, using non-cutting, P. massoniana-cutting, non P. massoniana-cutting, shrubs-cutting methods, the community composition, spatial distribution pattern and the interspecific association among the dominant tree species were evaluated. Ripley's L function method of spatial point pattern was used to analyze the variations of the characteristics for over 3 years in different selective cutting plots. The results showed that, all the selective cutting methods altered the species composition, the advantage degree of some of the tree species and reduced the arbor tree species diversity in all the plots. The dominant tree species in the non-cutting plot represented the random distribution, whereras represented an aggregated distribution in P. massoniana-cutting plots. Non P. massoniana-cutting methods made changes of the spatial distribution of Toona sinensis and Betula luminifera and formed aggregated distributions for the two species, while other species had no significant changes of the spatial distribution compared with the control plots. Shrubs-cutting methods strengthened the random distribution of regenerated tree species. Positive and non-interspecific spatial associations of the dominant tree species were found in the controlled cutting plots. P. massoniana-cutting plots increased the negative interspecific associations, while non P. massoniana-cutting and shrubs-cutting methods increased the non-interspecific associations. Short-term selective cutting interferences apparently altered the structure and stability of the forest stands, and which more largely depends on the target cutting species. Adjusting a specific species or the structure of a specific layer is not conducive for optimizing the P. massoniana forest spacial structure during the forest management. Comprehensively consideration of selective cutting intensity and target cutting species would be beneficial for achieving structure optimization and function improvement.