<![CDATA[The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted social and psychological well-being worldwide, yet the role of trust in shaping life satisfaction within collectivist post-pandemic societies remains underexplored. This study examines the relationship between social trust and life satisfaction in major Indonesian cities after the COVID-19 pandemic, employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. A total of 150 adults from 14 cities participated, completing the General Trust Scale and Satisfaction with Life Scale, followed by thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Quantitative results showed that interpersonal trust significantly predicted life satisfaction (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) but accounted for only 9.4% of the variance (R² = 0.094), indicating that other factors explained 90.6% of life satisfaction. Thematic analysis revealed three psychological themes bridging trust and life satisfaction: honesty, positive attitudes, and meaning in life. A mediation model demonstrated that intrapersonal factors (positive attitudes and meaning in life; β = 0.512, p < 0.001) were substantially more dominant (52.3%) than interpersonal trust (24.1%) in explaining life satisfaction. This study concludes that in collectivist post-COVID Indonesia, interpersonal trust influences life satisfaction primarily through intrapersonal meaning-making and positive attitudes, rather than directly. Theoretically, it advances the subjective well-being literature by proposing an expanded trust-well-being model that integrates collectivist cultural elements and positive psychology. In practice, post-pandemic recovery programs should prioritize community-based interventions that strengthen meaning in life, positive attitudes, and interpersonal trust. Keywords: generalized trust, institutional trust, life satisfaction, post-pandemic recovery, Indonesia]]>
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