ABSTRACT
Adolescence is a crucial formative period for developing persistent (dis)trust in political institutions, with long-term implications for democracy. This cross-national mixed-methods study investigates whether adolescents exhibit higher governmental trust than adults and which (un)trustworthiness criteria shaped their views during COVID-19. Quantitative data from multiple European countries (N = 3,714) show that younger adolescents reported significantly higher governmental trust than older adolescents and adults in all examined countries, with the largest difference observed in Serbia. A complementary qualitative meta-synthesis of seven primary studies (N = 251) uncovered 12 broad (un)trustworthiness criteria in COVID-19 decision-making, mostly centred on decision-making procedures. Key concerns included unpredictability, unexplained measures, and a lack of reciprocity and mutual responsibility between citizens and authorities. Younger adolescents sought closeness, emotional support, and predictability, while older adolescents and adults prioritised mutual responsibility, shared values, and clear explanations. These perspectives suggest that younger adolescents' institutional trust may diminish depending on the degree of (un)trustworthy decision-making, especially as their cognitive abilities, autonomy, societal roles, and political awareness evolve. Demonstrating or involving adolescents in trustworthy decision-making is crucial for establishing lasting institutional (dis)trust. The findings of this chapter can inform future crisis management strategies and bolster trust in democratic institutions among emerging generations.
