Epistemic Trust, Mistrust and Credulity Questionnaire (ETMCQ) – Validation of the German version in a representative sample

The construct of epistemic trust has garnered significant attention, both conceptually in relation to societal shifts in trust in communicated knowledge and social learning, and empirically in relation to psychopathology. Recently, the ETMCQ, a self-report tool, was developed to assess individual differences in epistemic stance (ES). This paper reports on the validation of a German version of the ETMCQ. Using a representative sample of 2,519 participants older than 16 years of age, the primary aim was to test the factorial validity of the instrument, while also examining associations with age, gender, and education level. A secondary aim explored associations between the three ETMCQ dimensions (trust, mistrust, and credulity) and retrospectively reported childhood maltreatment and other adversity, as well as other psychological factors, including psychopathology.

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed three correlated but distinct factors—Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity—largely in line with the original validation, resulting in a 12-item version for the German adaptation. Our findings support previous theoretical links between epistemic stance and psychological functioning, particularly the association between epistemic disruption (high mistrust and/or credulity) and increased symptomatology. Additionally, both Mistrust and Credulity were linked to childhood maltreatment, attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and fearful attachment.

Key results suggest associations between ETMCQ factors and developmental psychopathology constructs, with these factors partially mediating the relationship between early adversity and current mental health symptoms. In terms of discriminant validity, we provide ES cut-offs in relation to widely used psychopathology screening tools. Differences in ES were also observed between individuals from the former East and West Germany, as well as in relation to income, gender, and education, suggesting cultural and socio-economic influences on the construct.

In light of these findings, the ETMCQ can be seen as a brief and easy-to-administer tool that holds promise for enhancing clinical and theoretical understanding of interpersonal knowledge transfer.