Interpersonal Trust Scale

American psychologist Julian Rotter developed the Interpersonal Trust Scale (ITS) in 1967. It is a classic measure of the general expectation that others' words, promises, and spoken or written statements are reliable. Its 25 items use five-point ratings. Uses include assessing trust, studying its relationships with mental health and adjustment, exploring its role in relationships, and informing counseling. Research suggests that highly trusting people are generally happier, better liked, and better socially adjusted.

The ITS uses ratings from 1 to 5, for a total of 25–125. Thirteen negatively worded items expressing distrust are reverse-scored, while 12 positively worded trust items are scored directly. Higher totals indicate greater trust. Below 65 suggests low trust and skepticism, possibly related to negative experiences or defensiveness; 65–85 suggests moderate trust that adapts to circumstances; and above 85 suggests high trust in others' promises and statements. Excessively high or low trust can cause difficulties; moderate trust best supports social adjustment.

The ITS suits adolescents and adults with at least lower-secondary education. It can be used in counseling, research on trust and mental health, relationship-focused group work, and organizational team assessment. It is widely used with university students, workers, and community residents. For people with serious interpersonal trauma, interpret results alongside a clinical interview rather than relying on scores alone.

Very high or very low trust can create difficulties. Low trust (below 65) may lead to isolation, difficulty forming close relationships, excessive defensiveness, missed opportunities to work with others, more conflict, and greater stress. People with high trust (above 85) are generally happier and better liked, but may believe others too readily, take insufficient precautions when caution is needed, or overlook risks. Moderate trust (65–85) offers the ideal balance: neither readily believing everything nor being excessively suspicious, while adjusting trust to the situation.

If your trust is low, explore whether past negative experiences contribute. Begin by building relationships with a few dependable people, try not to assume the worst, and learn to recognize genuine signs of trustworthiness rather than judging everyone alike. Relationship-focused group work or counseling may help address past betrayals or other trust-related trauma. If your trust is excessively high, develop appropriate caution, recognize warning signs, verify information from several sources before important decisions, and set reasonable boundaries without depending too heavily on others. Balanced trust can develop through learning and practice.

Consider counseling if your ITS score is very low (below 50) and distrust seriously affects life or work, close relationships are difficult to build or maintain, loneliness or distress is marked, suspicion causes frequent conflict, serious deceit or betrayal remains unresolved, or anxiety or depression accompanies these difficulties. Counseling can explore underlying causes, address trauma, and support healthier trust. The ITS cannot replace professional assessment or diagnosis.