THE ROLE OF INTERPERSONAL TRUST IN THE SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF KAZAKHSTAN'S POPULATION: REGIONAL DIFFERENCES

Abstract

This article examines the role of interpersonal trust in the subjective well-being of Kazakhstan's population, with attention to regional differences. Drawing on a nationwide survey (N = 3,006, 20 regions of Kazakhstan) and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, the study shows that trust in all eight examined categories of one's immediate social circle is positively and significantly associated with life satisfaction at the national level, although the strength – and in some cases the direction – of this relationship varies substantially by region. Contrary to expectations, trust in family and close relatives – despite being the highest in level (98.4% and 96.1%, respectively) – proved least strongly linked to well-being, while trust in one's superior/employer and neighbours emerged as more informative predictors. Trust in one's superior/employer showed the most spatially consistent association, significant in nearly every region; isolated cases of a negative association were also found (Aktobe region). The findings refine the applicability of the particularized/generalized trust framework to the Kazakhstani context and carry implications for regional social policy.