Examining the Pathways from General Trust Through Social Connectedness to Subjective Wellbeing

Abstract

The broad conceptualisation of wellbeing has allowed researchers to establish subjective wellbeing as a valid indicator of social development. However, changing social patterns, norms, and values suggest changes in how social determinants may predict subjective wellbeing. The current analysis tests a serial mediation hypothesis in which social participation and social resources mediate the effect of general trust on subjective wellbeing.

Data from 8725 participants were pooled from the German part of the European Social Survey (ESS) Wave 10. Structural models were estimated to access the path from general trust to subjective wellbeing (SWB). Three separate mediation analyses were performed to test (1) the indirect effect of general trust on SWB through social participation, (2) through social resources and (3) through social participation and social resources. A full-mediation model reveals the direct and indirect paths predicting SWB through general trust, social participation, and social resources. Gender, age, education, and household size were included as control variables.

The full-mediation model suggests significant results for direct paths from general trust to social participation, social resources, and SWB. Direct paths from social participation to social resources and SWB were also significant. However, the path from social resources to SWB became non-significant.

Results highlight general trust as a critical predictor of SWB. The finding that social participation is significant while social resources are not significant in a mediation model suggests that social participation directly affects wellbeing, independent of the effect of social resources. This highlights the importance of social participation in promoting wellbeing.