Abstract
Research has established positive relationships and trust as cornerstones for successful youth-adult partnerships (YAPs), yet limited work addresses how to sustain struggling partnerships, particularly in low-trust environments. Using an explanatory, sequential mixed-methods design, this study first quantitatively affirmed the importance of strong teacher-student relationships as precursors for the formation of classroom YAPs (known here as Student Voice Partnerships or SVPs). Subsequent qualitative data explains that youth define these relationships through the lens of trust, actively assessing adults to determine their trustworthiness—a process aligning with concepts of discernment and calculation. Drawing on organizational trust and relational resilience frameworks, this study offers an interdisciplinary model for closing the trust gap between teachers and youth in neighborhoods with high levels of racial bias. We demonstrate that adults must proactively signal trustworthiness by demonstrating two core themes: care (expressed through one-on-one connections and seeing the youth’s “whole self”) and respect (demonstrated via transparency, adaptability, and reliability).
Recommended Citation
Mitra, Dana; Al Saghir, Ghadir; Boat, Ashley; Conner, Jerusha O.; and Holquist, Samantha
(2026)
"How Adults Can Bridge the Trust Gap with Youth,"
Journal of Youth Development: Vol. 21:
Iss.
2, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34068/jyd.21.02.05
Available at:
https://open.clemson.edu/jyd/vol21/iss2/5
Included in
Child Psychology Commons, Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Community-Based Learning Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Leadership Studies Commons
