Examining the multilevel associations between psychological wellbeing and social trust

A primary analysis of survey data

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11044005
AutoresH H S Kim (0000-0003-1311-6507, Department of Sociology Ewha Womans University Seoul Republic of Korea, autor de correspondencia), Areum Shin (0000-0003-3341-0447, The Institute for Social Development and Policy Research Seoul National University Seoul Republic of Korea)
Año2021
Volumen49
Número7
Páginas2383-2402
Fecha de publicación2021-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Community Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0090-4392 • E-ISSN: 1520-6629
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/jcop.22643
PMID34237159
OpenAlexW3182668217
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas56

The present study examines the associations between multiple measures of social trust and two outcomes of psychological wellbeing (happiness and depression) among South Korean adults ( n = 1549) living in residential communities, that is, administrative districts ( n = 77) in and around the capital city of Seoul. Based on multilevel modeling, we find that familial trust positively predicts happiness at both individual and contextual levels; and it negatively predicts depression at the individual level only. In comparison, peer trust is negatively related only to depression at the individual level, albeit marginally. Lastly, general trust significantly predicts both outcomes at the community, but not individual, level. These mixed findings suggest that the trust‐wellbeing relationship depends critically on issues of definition (how the variables are conceptualized) and measurement (how they are operationalized according to different units of analysis). Our study offers implications for the literature on social determinants of mental health broadly and, more specifically, on the role of social trust

Happiness · Mental health · Multilevel model · Operationalization · Psychiatry · Social capital · Sociology · Survey data collection · Health disparities and outcomes · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Capital and Networks · Social Psychology