# Age-related differences in trust beliefs during middle childhood: Downward-extension and validation of the general trust scale

## TL;DR

This paper explores how trust beliefs change in children during middle childhood and introduces new scales to measure trust in peers and online.

## Contribution

The study introduces novel child-friendly scales to measure general, peer, and online trust beliefs.

## Key findings

- Trust beliefs in children are positively linked to friendship quality and well-being.
- Age-related decreases in general and peer trust suggest children become more discerning.
- New scales show good psychometric properties for measuring trust beliefs in children.

## Abstract

There are conflicting suggestions concerning the developmental trend of trust beliefs during middle childhood. Across three studies, the current research developed a brief measure of child general trust beliefs, as well as child measures of trust in peers and online, and examined age-related differences in these beliefs. Study 1 explored the appropriateness of downward extending the General Trust Scale. Studies 2 and 3 developed the child version of this scale and adapted the target of trust to construct two additional scales measuring trust beliefs in peers and online. These studies also provide evidence of the psychometric quality of the scales, and that trust beliefs are positively associated with friendship quality and psychosocial well-being outcomes in children. In addition, Study 3 demonstrated small age-related decreases in general and peer trust. This finding suggests children may become more discerning during middle childhood. Implications of these age-related differences and the use of these novel scales is discussed.