Association between particularized trust and mental and physical health in community-based and congregation-based groups

Community-based and congregation-based groups bring together people who share a common interest or goal and create opportunity to establish and reinforce trusting relationships. There is evidence that group participation can have a positive impact on health, but associations have rarely been examined between trust formed within groups and individual health. A diverse convenience sample of 500 South Carolina residents responded to survey questions about the extent to which they trusted the members of the group that was most important to them during the past year, and identified the group as either community-based or congregation-based. If they participated in both, they were asked to answer questions about both groups. This study examined associations between trust in group members and physical and mental health outcomes measured by the SF12v2, and investigated whether these associations differed in community-based (N=417, mean age 46.1: SD=18.25) and congregation-based groups (N=281, mean age 51.0: SD=17.56). Data were analyzed using an ANACOVA controlling for multiple group membership and other covariates. A significant positive association was found between mental health and trust in community-based groups (â = 1.36, t = 2.43, p=0.016) and in congregation-based groups (â = 1.72, t = 2.43, p=0.016). No significant associations were observed between physical health and trust in either community-based (p= 0.232) or congregation-based groups (p=0.076). These results suggest that an association exists between trusting relationships in groups and the mental health of the group participants. These findings may provide evidence for public health program strategies to promote mental health.