Validation and Psychological Correlates of a Water Provider Trust Scale for the United States

Publication Date

1-20-2026

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

ACS Es and T Water

Volume

6

Issue

2

DOI

10.1021/acsestwater.5c01005

First Page

936

Last Page

945

Abstract

We used national survey data from 2,526 US households to validate a four-item water provider trust scale. We then explored correlates of this scale using regression models to assess (1) whether the relationship between household water insecurity and water provider trust held after adjusting for personal demographics, health perceptions, and politics; (2) the mediating effects of antiestablishment orientations and perceived stress; and (3) whether these mediating effects vary by race and ethnicity. The water provider trust scale demonstrated a good fit and satisfied standard tests of dimensionality, reliability, and validity. Higher water insecurity was associated with lower water provider trust (β = −0.111, SE = 0.013, P < 0.001) adjusting for covariates. Both antiestablishment orientations and perceived stress, when specified as mediators, yielded negative indirect effects on water provider trust and negative direct effects of water insecurity on water provider trust. These effects from antiestablishment orientations were only significant among White respondents, while the effects from perceived stress were significant across racial and ethnic groups. The water provider trust scale can help utilities assess public perceptions of their services and improve public engagement in water system resilience-building, particularly in underserved communities.

Keywords

antiestablishment orientations, institutional trust, measurement, perceived stress, psychometrics, water security

Department

Anthropology

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