Life Satisfaction Differences Across Trust Profiles Among Dutch Adolescents

Abstract

The current study examined the associations between different trust profiles and adolescent life satisfaction. Using latent profile analysis, a nation-wide sample of 3748 Dutch secondary school students (Mage = 13.76 years, SD = 1.36) was classified into seven trust profiles based on their levels of interpersonal, generalized, and institutional trust. Two profiles—High Trust and Low Trust—were characterized by, respectively, consistently high or low levels across all trust types. In contrast, the remaining five profiles—Low-to-Moderate Trust, Moderate Trust, Moderate-to-High Trust, High Interpersonal Trust, and Low Institutional Trust—showed inconsistent patterns, with each profile exhibiting at least one trust type that differed in level from the other two. In each of the seven identified profiles, the level of interpersonal trust was either equally high as or higher than those of the other trust types. Differences in life satisfaction were also observed across these profiles. Adolescents in the High Trust profile reported the highest life satisfaction, followed by those in the Moderate-to-High Trust and Low Institutional Trust profiles. In contrast, those in the Low Trust, Low-to-Moderate Trust, and Moderate Trust profiles exhibited the lowest life satisfaction levels. Our results indicated that adolescents in profiles with relatively high interpersonal trust reported higher life satisfaction, even when institutional trust was low, highlighting the protective role of interpersonal trust. These findings suggest that adolescents with below-moderate trust levels are at risk for low well-being and may benefit from targeted interventions. Specifically, fostering interpersonal trust may be particularly effective in enhancing adolescent well-being.