Numerical solutions of coupled Fokker‐Planck equations for electron and deuteron velocity distribution functions are used to investigate the non‐Maxwellian conditions existing in fast magnetic compression theta‐pinch experiments. Initial distribution functions are chosen to stimulate the post shock‐heating phase of operation and the subsequent relaxation is followed. Because of rapid changes in the deuteron distribution function, the neutron yield is found to increase significantly with time although the mean energy changes little. Distortions at high and low velocities occur in the electron distribution resulting from interaction with the ions. These distortions produce two effects: (1) At short wavelength the x‐ray flux is lower than that from a Maxwellian with the same mean energy; and (2) the edge of recombination continua of impurities are flattened relative to the spectrum produced by a Maxwellian distribution. The influence of the distorted x‐ray spectrum upon standard absorber foil techniques for temperature measurement is considered.