Beyond Income : Multidimensional Child Poverty and the Role of Relational Deprivation in the Household

Abstract

application/pdfThis study explores the multidimensional nature of child poverty in Japan, emphasizing that poverty is not solely a matter of lacking material resources but also deeply rooted in the quality of familial and relational contexts. While conventional poverty measurement relies primarily on household income, this paper argues that such an approach overlooks intra-household inequalities and fails to capture children's subjective experiences and non-material deprivations. Drawing on the Capability Approach developed by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, the study incorporates both agency and well-being dimensions in assessing child poverty, with a particular focus on relational deprivation such as lack of educational support and adverse childhood experiences. 　Using the Japanese survey on living conditions for children from over 2,000 junior high school students and their parents, the study constructs a multidimensional poverty index (MPI) based on children's self-reported data and applies the Alkire-Foster methodology. The findings reveal that even among children in non-poor households, relational deprivation significantly increases the likelihood of multidimensional poverty. Logistic regression analyses confirm that the absence of parental educational involvement and exposure to adverse experiences are among the strongest predictors of child poverty, regardless of household income level. The findings suggest that current poverty policies focusing mainly on income supplementation are insufficient. Instead, the paper calls for a paradigm shift towards rebuilding supportive relational environments and addressing the unequal distribution of “bads" within households. 　This research contributes to the ongoing debate on child poverty measurement by integrating theoretical insights with empirical analysis, and by highlighting the critical role of relational quality in child well-being and capability development.Working PaperWorking Paper, No.369, 2025.3, School of economics, university of toyamatechnical repor