Trusting the Psychotherapist, Trusting the Governmental System and Perhaps Trusting the Neighbor Next Door: Exploring the Institutional Nature of Trust in Psychotherapists and Examining Different Groups of Trusters in a Large German Patient Sample.

Background: Trust in psychotherapists is considered primarily interpersonal. However, psychotherapists could be viewed as representatives of the (healthcare) system. In this study, we investigated whether trust in psychotherapists is more closely linked to interpersonal or institutional trust. Furthermore, we explored whether people can be distinguished into different trust groups. Method: In a German cross-sectional study sample, we identified 1,300 persons (61.7% female; Results: Trust in psychotherapists is not solely associated with interpersonal factors but is also modestly associated with institutional trust. Furthermore, a three-cluster solution emerged with different trust profiles: Conclusion: There is an institutional nature of trust in psychotherapists, which should be reflected and included in research and practice. Implications could include the common measurement of trust in psychotherapists in therapy and broadening psychotherapeutic interventions according to trust needs. To this end, new ways of building trust both in psychotherapy and institutions in general should be explored.