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Determinants of trust in times of crises: A cross-sectional study of 3,065 German-speaking adults from the D-A-CH region

2023; Public Library of Science; Volume: 18; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1371/journal.pone.0286488

1932-6203

Eva Schernhammer, Jakob Weitzer, Emilie Han, Martin Bertau, Lukas Zenk, Guido Caniglia, Manfred D. Laubichler, Brenda M. Birmann, Gerald Steiner,

Optimism, Hope, and Well-being

Interpersonal trust declined worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic; strategies are needed to restore it. We surveyed 3,065 quota-sampled German-speaking adults residing in the D-A-CH region. Using multinomial logistic regression models and backward elimination for variable selection, we calculated multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to appraise correlates of interpersonal trust using the Interpersonal Trust Short Scale (KUSIV3). Participants with high levels of interpersonal trust (top KUSIV3 tertile (T3)) tended to be older, male, residents of Switzerland, university degree holders, and workers with higher income and work satisfaction (all Pdiff 5 times a week (OR = 0.48; 95%CI = 0.36-0.66, versus none); and scored high on conspiracy belief (ORT3vsT1 = 0.53; 95%CI = 0.41-0.69). Results differed minimally by gender and country. These findings may be helpful in devising targeted strategies to strengthen interpersonal trust and social engagement in European societies, especially during times of crises.