Children’s Well-Being in the Context of Perceived Inclusion and Digitalization: Evidence from a Survey of Rural Japanese Classrooms

Even in highly developed countries such as Japan, urban–rural disparities in inclusion and digitalization persist, offering lessons for other nations confronting similar divides. Diversity and inclusion in school environments appear to be associated with children’s well-being. However, few studies have examined how children perceive inclusion in the classroom or how such perceptions—along with digital device use and interpersonal factors—relate to their subjective well-being (SWB). This study broadens the scope of research by incorporating inquisitiveness and generativity, examining these associations among children in rural Japan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2158 elementary and junior high school students in Kochi Prefecture. Students were classified into five diversity-related categories, and multinomial logistic and median regression models were applied to analyze associations with the core outcomes. Notably, two-thirds of the students were classified into the inclusion category. SWB was positively associated with inclusion and negatively with exclusion, while inquisitiveness and generativity were higher among students in the inclusion and differentiation categories. Both traits were positively associated with adult responsiveness, as well as adherence to digital use rules. The findings suggest that inclusive classroom climates and supportive digital practices foster children’s inquisitiveness, generativity, and SWB, although associations are correlational, not causal.