{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]],"date-time":"2026-08-28T18:16:35Z","timestamp":1787940995119,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]],"date-time":"2026-08-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787875200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002474","name":"Dongyang University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["None"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["None"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002474","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study examined the association between social trust and depression among young adults in Seoul, South Korea, and investigated the moderating role of traditional gender role attitudes. Data were obtained from 592 young adults aged 19\u201334 years who participated in the 2022 Seoul Mental Health Survey. A cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted using SPSS 28.0 and Hayes\u2019 PROCESS Macro (Model 1), controlling for gender, educational attainment, economic activity, and living arrangement. Social trust was negatively associated with depression (B\u2009= \u22120.210, p\u2009&lt;\u2009.001), whereas traditional gender role attitudes were positively associated with depression (B\u2009=\u20090.111, p\u2009=\u2009.001). The interaction between social trust and traditional gender role attitudes was significant (B\u2009=\u20090.189, p\u2009&lt;\u2009.001), explaining an additional 2.5% of the variance in depression (\u0394R\u00b2\u2009=\u2009.025). The negative association between social trust and depression was significant when traditional gender role attitudes were low (mean\u2009\u2212\u20091 SD) or average, but not when they were high (mean\u2009+\u20091 SD). Johnson\u2013Neyman analysis indicated that the association remained significant when traditional gender role attitude scores were below 2.92. These findings suggest that the association between social trust and depression varies according to traditional gender role attitudes. Social trust may be more strongly associated with lower depressive symptoms among young adults with lower endorsement of traditional gender role attitudes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0355298","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]],"date-time":"2026-08-28T17:21:04Z","timestamp":1787937664000},"page":"e0355298","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Social trust and depression among young adults in Seoul, South Korea: The moderating effect of traditional gender role attitudes"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7611-670X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Sangmi","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0355298.ref001","volume-title":"Depression and other common mental disorders: global health estimates","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2017"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref002","author":"Ministry of Data and Statistics","year":"2025"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref003","author":"Ministry of Government Legislation","year":"2023"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0355298.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1192\/bjo.2025.785","article-title":"Perception of economic inequality and its association with depressive symptoms and suicide ideation among young adults in South Korea","volume":"11","author":"M Choi","year":"2025","journal-title":"BJPsych Open"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0355298.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"469","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.55.5.469","article-title":"Emerging adulthood. A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties","volume":"55","author":"JJ Arnett","year":"2000","journal-title":"Am Psychol"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0355298.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"280","DOI":"10.1080\/10705500802365482","article-title":"Transitions in emerging adulthood and stress among young Australian women","volume":"15","author":"S Bell","year":"2008","journal-title":"Int J Behav Med"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2013.03.005","article-title":"Social capital and depressive symptoms: the association of psychosocial and network dimensions of social capital with depressive symptoms in Montreal, Canada","volume":"86","author":"E Bassett","year":"2013","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1371","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-019-7657-5","article-title":"Does your neighborhood protect you from being depressed? A study on social trust and depression in Indonesia","volume":"19","author":"M Fahmi","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"794729","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.794729","article-title":"Profiles of social capital and the association with depressive symptoms among multicultural adolescents in Korea: a latent profile analysis","volume":"10","author":"E Kim","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref010","article-title":"Association between interpersonal trust, reciprocity, and depression in South Korea: a prospective analysis","volume":"7","author":"S-S Kim","year":"2012","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref011","first-page":"141","article-title":"The effect of social trust on depression among young adults: focusing on gender differences","volume":"43","author":"C Park","year":"2023","journal-title":"Health Soc Welfare Rev"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref012","first-page":"87","article-title":"The effect of social trust on depression among secluded young adults","volume":"50","author":"Y Jeon","year":"2024","journal-title":"Korean Public Health Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0355298.ref013","first-page":"262","article-title":"The impact of perceived social conflict on depression among young adults: focusing on the mediating role of social trust","volume":"45","author":"C Park","year":"2025","journal-title":"Health Soc Welfare Revi"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"348","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2020.01.027","article-title":"The relation of gender role attitudes with depression and generalised anxiety disorder in two Russian cities","volume":"264","author":"P Jaehn","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadohealth.2019.01.011","article-title":"Associations between gender-role attitudes and mental health outcomes in a nationally representative sample of australian adolescents","volume":"65","author":"TL King","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Adolesc Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0355298.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0298750","article-title":"Relationship between gender roles, motherhood beliefs and mental health","volume":"19","author":"M Delgado-Herrera","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadohealth.2021.01.023","article-title":"Unequal gender norms are related to symptoms of depression among young adolescents: a cross-sectional, cross-cultural study","volume":"69","author":"LR Koenig","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Adolesc Health"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17455057221097823","DOI":"10.1177\/17455057221097823","article-title":"An Exploratory Study of Gender Role Stress and Psychological Distress of Women in Kosovo","volume":"18","author":"K Kelmendi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Womens Health (Lond)"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0355298.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"797","DOI":"10.1177\/13591053231207294","article-title":"Gender roles and gender norms associated with psychological distress in women and men among the Dutch general population","volume":"29","author":"PM Mommersteeg","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Health Psychol"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref020","first-page":"67","article-title":"The effects of gender role conflict on men\u2019s depression in their 20s: focused on the moderating effect of social support","volume":"23","author":"JY Choi","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Soc Sci"},{"issue":"19","key":"pone.0355298.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3531","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph16193531","article-title":"Gender and psychological well-being","volume":"16","author":"MP Matud","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0355298.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"334","DOI":"10.15709\/hswr.2014.34.2.334","article-title":"The effect of academic stress on depression in adolescents: moderating effect of gender role stereotype","volume":"34","author":"HS Jwa","year":"2014","journal-title":"Health Soc Welfare Rev"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1037\/cou0000176","article-title":"Meta-analyses of the relationship between conformity to masculine norms and mental health-related outcomes","volume":"64","author":"YJ Wong","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Couns Psychol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-021-01572-2","article-title":"The role of women\u2019s traditional gender beliefs in depression, intimate partner violence and stress: insights from a Spanish abbreviated multicultural measure","volume":"22","author":"M Rovira","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Womens Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0355298.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15579883251321670","DOI":"10.1177\/15579883251321670","article-title":"Men\u2019s mental health matters: the impact of traditional masculinity norms on men\u2019s willingness to seek mental health support; a systematic review of literature","volume":"19","author":"LW Mokhwelepa","year":"2025","journal-title":"Am J Mens Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0355298.ref026","first-page":"37","article-title":"The effects of future orientation on suicide related frustration of interpersonal needs among female undergraduate students and the moderating effects of g ender roles attitudes","volume":"91","author":"Y Son","year":"2016","journal-title":"The Women\u2019s Studies"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.17997\/SWRY.57.1.2","article-title":"Moderating effect of social support on the elderly women\u2019s gender-role attitude-depressive symptoms relationship","volume":"57","author":"K Park","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cent Social Welf Res Yonsei Univ"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref028","author":"SY Lee","year":"2006"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref029","volume-title":"Gender equality awareness and status survey of Gyeonggi residents","author":"KH Noh","year":"2023"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref030","volume-title":"Increase in perceived gender equality, but high awareness of gender imbalance in work and care and the reality of violence against women: results of the 2021 Gender Equality Survey","author":"Ministry of Gender Equality and Family","year":"2022"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0355298.ref031","first-page":"64","article-title":"Profiles of conformity to gender role norms and depression among adult Korean men","volume":"19","author":"JY Yang","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Men\u2019s Health"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0355298.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.18205\/kpa.2011.16.4.004","article-title":"Do gender role attitudes affect on depression?","volume":"16","author":"IY Han","year":"2011","journal-title":"Korean J Woman Psych"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0355298.ref033","first-page":"89","article-title":"Gender role attitude and depressive symptoms: comparisons across gender and age groups","volume":"35","author":"R Song","year":"2012","journal-title":"Korea J Pop Stud"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0355298.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.16881\/jss.2024.04.35.2.81","article-title":"The effect of anomie on depression in youth: the mediating effect of social trust","volume":"35","author":"S Yu","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Soc Sci"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0355298.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.38082\/SWPR.2024.21.03.89","article-title":"Impact of subjective socioeconomic status on depression among youth: focusing on moderating effect of social trust","volume":"21","author":"S-A Park","year":"2024","journal-title":"Soc Work Pract Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1186\/s13104-023-06667-7","article-title":"Trust in adolescence and depression and anxiety symptoms in young adulthood: findings from a Swedish cohort","volume":"17","author":"SB L\u00e5ftman","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Res Notes"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1016\/j.annepidem.2022.11.004","article-title":"Exploring potential for selection bias in using survey data to estimate the association between institutional trust and depression","volume":"77","author":"R Ghanbari","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ann Epidemiol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0355298.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16724","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-20443-w","article-title":"The neuroanatomy of social trust predicts depression vulnerability","volume":"12","author":"ASR Fermin","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0355298.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-086508","article-title":"Urban-rural disparities in the association between social trust patterns and changes in depressive symptoms: longitudinal evidence from an elderly Chinese population","volume":"14","author":"T Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0355298.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"743","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare13070743","article-title":"Social capital and depression among adolescents relocated for poverty alleviation: the mediating effect of life satisfaction","volume":"13","author":"D Guo","year":"2025","journal-title":"Healthcare (Basel)"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref041","volume-title":"A plan to resolve gender role conflict among Korean men","author":"SY Lee","year":"2011"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0355298.ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"931","DOI":"10.23844\/kjcp.2015.11.27.4.931","article-title":"The relationship between male gender role conflict and depression in young men: the mediating role of professional help seeking attitude and perceived social support","volume":"27","author":"YH Je","year":"2015","journal-title":"Korean J Counsel Psychother"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0355298.ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15579883241253820","DOI":"10.1177\/15579883241253820","article-title":"Adherence to masculinity norms and depression symptoms among israeli men: the moderating role of psychological flexibility","volume":"18","author":"G Aharon","year":"2024","journal-title":"Am J Mens Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0355298.ref044","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"547","DOI":"10.15753\/aje.2019.06.20.2.547","article-title":"The relationships between patriarchal family environment and men\u2019s depression: the mediating effects of sexism and men\u2019s gender role conflict","volume":"20","author":"Y Sung","year":"2019","journal-title":"Asian J Educ"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0355298.ref045","first-page":"139","article-title":"Effects of poverty experience and perceived traditional gender roles on married women\u2019s depression","volume":"52","author":"J Lee","year":"2021","journal-title":"Soc Sci Rev"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1419942","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1419942","article-title":"Gender differences in relation of gender role attitudes and happiness-a mixed-methods research from China","volume":"15","author":"Y Chen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref047","author":"JK Lee","year":"2024","journal-title":"Mental Health Survey of Seoul Citizens, 2022. Seoul: Seoul Foundation of Women and Family"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref048","volume-title":"Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: a regression-based approach","author":"AF Hayes","year":"2022","edition":"3"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref049","volume-title":"Principles and practice of structural equation modeling","author":"RB Kline","year":"2011","edition":"3"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0355298.ref050","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.88.5.879","article-title":"Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies","volume":"88","author":"PM Podsakoff","year":"2003","journal-title":"J Appl Psychol"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref051","volume-title":"Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences","author":"J Cohen","year":"1988","edition":"2"},{"key":"pone.0355298.ref052","volume-title":"Multiple regression: testing and interpreting interactions","author":"LS Aiken","year":"1991"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0355298","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]],"date-time":"2026-08-28T17:21:13Z","timestamp":1787937673000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0355298"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Omar Enzo","family":"Santangelo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]]},"references-count":52,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0355298","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]]}}}