Trust and quality of life: A cross-sectional study of young women

Background: Trust is increasingly identified as a psychosocial determinant of well-being. However the relationship between trust and well-being outcomes has not been comprehensively examined, particularly in socially and economically transitioning countries such as Iran and among young women.

Aims: This cross-sectional study examined the association between trust and the quality of life of young Iranian women.

Methods: A total of 391 young Iranian women aged between 18 and 35 years (M: 27.3, standard deviation (SD): 4.8) were recruited through cluster convenience sampling to participate in this cross-sectional study. The measures used included the 'Trust scale' adapted from the British General Household Survey (GHS) Social Capital scale, and the Persian version of the WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire--brief version).

Results: The participants (n = 391, mean age of 27 years) reported a relatively low level of trust. For the participants, trust was positively associated with better quality of life (r = .24, p value: .01). The findings also showed that there is a significant difference between socio-demographic factors such as the level of religiosity, occupation and income with the domains of trust.

Conclusion: Policies are needed to improve participation and reciprocity at the level of individuals and informal social groups, including local to broader communities in order to increase the sense of community belonging, improving trust and consequently quality of life.