(PS5-34) The Role of Interpersonal Trust in Shaping Loneliness Trajectories for Mentored Youth in Foster Care

Abstract Text: Approximately 3,500 children in Slovakia grow up in foster care centers separated from their biological parents. Growing up without a secure attachment to parental figures is associated with emotional and social challenges, including depression, low self-esteem, anger, and mistrust in others (Ramsay-Irving, 2015; Steenbakkers et al., 2019). However, strong relationships with nurturing and trusting adults, such as mentors, can help improve mental health outcomes by fostering secure attachment and providing consistent support (Poon et al., 2021; Weiler et al., 2021; 2022). In Slovakia, the BUDDY Program--a non-profit mentoring program--pairs youth in foster care centers with volunteer mentors. Each mentor-youth pair meets weekly for a minimum of three years to build a trusting relationship and support youth mental health. This study examined the effect of baseline youth trust in adults on the relationship between feelings of loneliness before and after one year of engagement in the BUDDY Program.

Participants included 53 Slovakian youth (Mage = 13.41, 64.3% female) residing in care centers paired with mentors through the BUDDY program. Youth were between the ages of 11 to 17 years at the time of recruitment. At baseline (i.e., prior to starting the mentoring relationship), youth completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell et al., 1980) and the Interpersonal Trust Scale for Adolescents (Hirsch et al., 2011). Participants also completed the loneliness measure after one year of mentoring. Analyses indicated that–contrary to our hypotheses–for youth who began their mentoring relationship with high trust in adults, loneliness actually increased from baseline to after one year of mentoring in BUDDY; however, this trend in loneliness levels was buffered for youth with low levels of interpersonal trust in adults. Youth with high levels of interpersonal trust may struggle with the unique relational setting of a formally assigned mentoring relationship, potentially experiencing greater disappointment or discouragement when expectations are unmet in the mentoring relationship due to logistical challenges. However, for youth with less secure attachments to adults, mentoring relationships may be a helpful first step. Findings have important implications for considering the ways that relationship-based mental health intervention and prevention programs may vary in effectiveness across youth with different relational needs and expectations. Our presentation will further explore the demographic correlates of trends in loneliness and interpersonal trust, and discuss implications for community-based mental health programs for youth.