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Research suggests that families in Spain have adopted one of three structures based on sex-role preferences to help them balance work and home demands. These three structures are egalitarian, compromise, and role segregation, indicating a continuum of sex-role attitudes and preferences. Egalitarian refers to equal responsibilities for the male and female both in and outside the home whereas role segregation refers to the traditional model of male breadwinner and female housewife, with compromise being somewhere in-between these two extreme models.

Sex-Role Orientation	Percentage of Survey Respondents who prefer this orientation	Example Duties of Males and Females having this orientation
Egalitarian	65%	Both partners work outside the home; Both take equal amounts of family leave; Both share household responsibilities evenly
Compromise	18%	Both partners may work outside home, often with female working fewer hours; Female may stay home for children's preschool years; Both partners have household responsibilities, often with female having more
Role Segregation	17%	Male works outside the home; Female takes leave for childbirth and stays at home with children; Female is responsible for most household duties

It is important to note that attitudes in the ideal do not readily correspond to reasonable behavior in the real world. Women continue to be seen as the primary caregiver despite their entry into the workforce and expressed desire for a more equal distribution of responsibilities. There are several possible explanations for why Spanish families do not structure their lives according to their stated ideal form, including larger societal realities such as a lack of policy supports for egalitarian families or a lack of full-time employment opportunities. Researcher Catherine Hakim studied the societal/individual response difference in order to reveal individuals true preferences for their own lives, leading to her proposal of Preference Theory as a solution to the demands of balancing both home and work responsibilities.

Hakim’s Preference Theory is founded on the idea that modern family models are diversifying both in form and function, and that individual desires regarding family-work orientations need to be respected by the larger society. Family structures can be categorized as egalitarian, compromise or role segregated, but these labels focus on the relationship between husband and wife. It is also important to consider the work orientation of the mother, as she is currently being held responsible for both work and home duties. Again there are three possible orientations, namely home-centered, adaptive and work-centered.

Preference Theory is a theoretical framework that places high value on the desires of individuals. However, the adaptation of preference theory raises several important concerns about whose preferences are most important and what solutions exist for when different preferences collide. In a traditionally patriarchal society, there is reason to worry that men’s preferences will take precedent over women’s preferences. Men’s preferences are not the only preferences that may supersede women’s; there is also concern that preferences of employers influence public policy more than the preferences of employees. This can be seen in the lack of national policy concerning maternity/paternity leave and other family benefits. The question of whose preferences matter most has no easy answer but must be dealt with before Preference Theory can be utilized as a method for supporting multiple family structures and work orientations. Furthermore, if a significant percentage of families do prefer varying sex-role arrangements, it may be impractical to expect public policy to support each type of arrangement adequately.

	Theoretical Frameworks for the Work-Family Relationship in Spain