Parents' Family Time and Work Schedules: The Split-Shift Schedule in Spain

This study used data on couples from the 2003 Spanish Time Use Survey (N = 1,416) to analyze how work schedules are associated with family, couple, parent-child, and non-family leisure activities. Spain is clearly an interesting case for the institutionalized split-shift schedule, a long lunch break rooted in the traditional siesta that splits the workday between morning and evening. Results showed strong negative associations between the split shift and both family and parent-child activities. The evening shift was negatively associated with couple and family time, but not with parent-child time. Women spent much more time than men in parent-child activities for all work categories, and they were more responsive to the spouse's work hours. Men were substantially more active than women in non-family leisure, considering both individuals' and their spouses' work schedules. Altogether, this study has important implications for scientific and public policy debates.