Marital status and generalized trust in other people: A population-based study

The association between marital status and generalized trust in other people was investigated. The public health survey in Skåne 2008 is a cross-sectional study including 28,198 persons (55% participation rate) aged 18–80 in southern Sweden. Logistic regression models investigated associations between marital status and trust, adjusting for age, country of birth, education, emotional support, instrumental support and economic stress. 33.9% of the men and 35.7% of the women had low trust. The significantly higher odds ratios of low trust for unmarried men and women and divorced men remained throughout the analyses, while the significant association disappeared for divorced women in the final model. In contrast, the odds ratios of low trust for widows/widowers remained not significant compared to the married/cohabitating category throughout the analyses.

► The literature suggests that marriage dissolution affects the trust level of children and adolescents, but less is known concerning adults. ► The significantly higher odds ratios of trust for unmarried men and women and divorced men remained throughout the analyses. ► The odds ratio of low trust among divorced women became not significant in the final multiple model. ► The odds ratios of low trust for widows/widowers remained not significant compared to the married/cohabitating category throughout the analyses. ► Marriage dissolution is associated with trust not only among children and adolescents but also of the adults involved.