Abstract
In the aftermath of terrorist attacks and disasters, public institutions play an important role in re-establishing safety and justice. However, little is known about the importance of institutional trust for victims’ potential for healing in the aftermath of mass trauma. This study examines levels of post-terror trust in the police and in the justice system among young survivors from the 2011 Utøya terror attack and their parents. Furthermore, it investigates how institutional trust develops over time among directly affected populations, and whether it is associated with psychological distress. 325 survivors and 463 parents were interviewed face-to-face at wave one (4–5 months post-terror) and 285 survivors and 435 parents at wave two (14–15 months). Levels of institutional trust in victims were compared to general population data from the European Social Survey adjusted for age, gender, and ethnic background. Measures included trust in the police and justice system, post-traumatic stress reactions, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. Trust in the police among survivors and parents was higher than or comparable to trust levels in the general population at wave one, but decreased for survivors and parents at wave two. Trust in the justice system was higher among those directly affected than in the general population, and increased from wave one to wave two. Levels of institutional trust were negatively associated with distress for survivors in both waves and for parents in wave two. Levels of institutional trust were positively associated with perceived quality of life in parents and survivors. Directly affected groups’ institutional trust differed from that of the general population following the terrorist attack, although being directly affected did not necessarily imply weakened institutional trust. This study found trust to be institution specific, however, trust in institutions changed with time, and the passing of time might be an important factor in better understanding whether trust will generalize across institutions or not. Institutional trust was negatively associated with psychological distress. This finding highlights the potential for institutions to create a healing post-disaster environment.
Highlights
Mass traumas such as terrorist attacks may influence the general public’s trust in institutions (e.g., Wollebæk et al, 2012; Dinesen and Jæger, 2013)
To help fill this knowledge gap, this study examined post-disaster institutional trust among young survivors of the 2011 terrorist attack on Utøya Island in Norway and their parents, as compared to the general population
Among the 453 parents who participated in wave one, 56.7% were mothers, compared to 59.7% of the 426 individuals who participated in wave two
Summary
Mass traumas such as terrorist attacks may influence the general public’s trust in institutions (e.g., Wollebæk et al, 2012; Dinesen and Jæger, 2013). About how institutional trust is affected among those who experience these events first-hand, and how their levels of trust develop as time passes after the disaster To help fill this knowledge gap, this study examined post-disaster institutional trust among young survivors of the 2011 terrorist attack on Utøya Island in Norway and their parents, as compared to the general population. It can refer to the extent to which the trustor expects the trustee (the institution) to carry out its responsibilities to a satisfactory degree (Hudson, 2006) Beyond such instrumental expectations, trust in institutions may be linked to how individuals perceive their relationship to those institutions. This could include whether one perceives oneself to be identified and acknowledged as a victim, and whether responsibility is placed with the perpetrator (Wenzel et al, 2008)
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