Social and mental health pathways to institutional trust: A cohort study

IF 4.9 2区医学 Q1 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Social Science & Medicine Pub Date : 2025-05-14 DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118199

Vincent Paquin , Diana Miconi , Samantha Aversa , Janique Johnson-Lafleur , Sylvana Côté , Marie-Claude Geoffroy , Sinan Gülöksüz

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

Trust in institutions such as the government is lower in the context of mental health problems and socio-economic disadvantage. However, the roles of structural inequality, interpersonal factors, and mental health on institutional trust remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the associations of social and mental health factors, from early life to adulthood, with institutional trust.

Method

Participants (n = 1347; 57.2 % female) were from the population-based Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (1997–2021). Trust in 13 institutions was self-reported at age 23. Predictors were 20 social and mental health factors during early life, adolescence, and adulthood. Associations were examined with linear regressions corrected for false discovery rate. Pathways were explored using the temporal Peter-Clark algorithm.

Results

Early-life factors associated with lower levels of trust were male sex, racialized minority status, low household income, and maternal history of depression and antisocial behaviors. After adjusting for early-life factors, adolescence factors associated with lower levels of trust were internalizing and externalizing problems, bullying exposure, and school difficulties. Independently of early-life or adolescence factors, adulthood factors associated with lower levels of trust were perceived stress, psychotic experiences, suicidal ideas, and seeking professional help, whereas greater social connectedness was associated with greater trust. Temporal Peter-Clark analyses identified social connectedness and psychotic experiences as potential proximal determinants of institutional trust.

Conclusion

This study identified factors related to structural inequality, interpersonal relationships, and mental health over development that were associated with institutional trust. Interventions aimed at promoting social connectedness and equity may improve institutional trust and wellbeing.

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社会和心理健康途径对机构信任：一项队列研究

目的在心理健康问题和社会经济劣势的背景下，对政府等机构的信任度较低。然而，结构不平等、人际因素和心理健康对制度信任的作用尚不清楚。本研究旨在研究从早期生活到成年的社会和心理健康因素与制度信任的关系。方法参与者(n = 1347；57.2%为女性)，来自以人群为基础的儿童发展纵向研究（1997-2021）。他们在23岁时自报对13个机构的信任程度。预测因子是早期生活、青春期和成年期的20个社会和心理健康因素。用校正错误发现率的线性回归检验相关性。使用时间Peter-Clark算法探索路径。结果影响幼儿信任水平较低的因素有男性、少数族裔、家庭收入低、母亲抑郁史和反社会行为。在调整了早期生活因素后，与较低信任水平相关的青春期因素是内化和外化问题、欺凌暴露和学校困难。独立于早期生活或青春期因素，与较低信任水平相关的成年因素是感知压力、精神病经历、自杀念头和寻求专业帮助，而更大的社会联系与更高的信任相关。时间Peter-Clark分析发现社会联系和精神病经历是制度信任的潜在近端决定因素。结论本研究确定了与制度信任相关的结构不平等、人际关系和心理健康发展相关的因素。旨在促进社会联系和公平的干预措施可能会改善机构信任和福利。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Social Science & Medicine PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-

CiteScore

9.10

自引率

5.60%

发文量

762

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Social Science & Medicine provides an international and interdisciplinary forum for the dissemination of social science research on health. We publish original research articles (both empirical and theoretical), reviews, position papers and commentaries on health issues, to inform current research, policy and practice in all areas of common interest to social scientists, health practitioners, and policy makers. The journal publishes material relevant to any aspect of health from a wide range of social science disciplines (anthropology, economics, epidemiology, geography, policy, psychology, and sociology), and material relevant to the social sciences from any of the professions concerned with physical and mental health, health care, clinical practice, and health policy and organization. We encourage material which is of general interest to an international readership.