ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL TRUST ON LIFE SATISFACTION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS AND RUSSIA: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING APPROACH

paper aims to explore the relationship between social trust and life satisfaction in the South Caucasus region and Russia. The study uses data from two waves of the Life in Transition Survey conducted in 2010 and 2016 to track changes in living conditions and well-being over time across countries. Structural Equation Models are performed to investigate the research question. Literature review revealed that social trust plays a crucial role in various aspects of human life such as well-being and life satisfaction. It suggests that social trust is positively related to life satisfaction at both the individual and cultural levels and policies aimed at promoting social trust may lead to improved life satisfaction. The results of the research found that social trust is positively associated with life satisfaction, particularly in Azerbaijan and Georgia. The relationship between social trust and life satisfaction is mediated by personal traits such as age, gender, and self-assessed health condition.