Table 2. Results of the multilevel mediation models for the effect of institutional trust (aggregate measure) on interpersonal trust through feelings of security.

Predictor and effect	Model 1		Model 2		Model 3
	b	95% CI	b	95% CI	b	95% CI
Mediator: Feelings of security	0.298	0.2978; 0.2984	0.326	0.3260; 0.3265	0.296	0.2954; 0.2962
Predictor: Institutional trust (Aggregate)
Total effect	0.352	0.3479; 0.3564	0.342	0.3377; 0.3458	0.352	0.3484; 0.3563
Direct effect	0.339	0.3347; 0.3421	0.329	0.3251; 0.3325	0.339	0.3354; 0.3424
Indirect effect	0.013	0.0121; 0.0144	0.013	0.0117; 0.0136	0.013	0.0123; 0.0145
% of Total effect	0.04		0.04		0.04

Results of all models are based on 180,051 observations and use countries as random effects. % of Total effect: Proportion mediated (i.e., ratio of the total effect to the indirect effect).

Model 1: Mediation analyses included survey wave as control variable. Model 2: Mediation analyses included survey wave and individual-level variables (gender, age, and education) as control. Model 3: Mediation analyses included survey wave and country-level variables (political rights, government effectiveness, rule of law, economy competitiveness, GINI coefficient, and GDP per capita) as control.