Trust and well-being: Evidence from Indonesia

There is a growing empirical scholarship on the benefits of trust for well-being in the literature. However, few studies have been conducted in the Indonesian context. This study is intended at investigating the association between different measures of trust and well-being in Indonesia using national representative data from the 5th wave of the Indonesian Family Life Survey on a sample of 27,150 individuals. Multiple regression was performed to calculate the estimates of this relationship. The main findings revealed a small positive relationship of trust in neighbors with life satisfaction and a small positive relationship of trust in police with life satisfaction and happiness beyond the contribution of gender, age, level of education, marital status, personality trait, economic status, and physical and mental health. This study suggests that policies that can forge trustworthiness of neighborhoods and institutions should be developed and prioritized.