Recently, researchers from developmental and clinical psychology highlighted epistemic trust (ET) as a key factor for personality disorders. ET is intended as the mental openness to information coming from others during social exchanges. ET develops from signals called ostensive cues, delivered through facial expressions during interactions in a secure attachment context. Similarly, interpersonal trust (IT) refers to the perception of others as not harmful, which is also developed through secure attachment relationships. Our purpose was to suggest a conceptualization of ET as a specific facet of IT. We hypothesize that positive experiences of caregiving promote IT development that includes a specific sense of trust toward othersL knowledge. Moreover, we suggest that the early ability to infer a judgment of trustworthiness from facial cues is the starting point for developing both IT and ET. This conceptualization supports the role of considering both IT and ET in the development of borderline pathology.© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel

Let’s imagine a child, aged around 3–4 years old, who sees for the first time a lit fireplace. In utter astonishment, they do not know what this fascinating show is about. They slowly get closer to it, trying to figure out what is going on. Their parents are paying attention to the scene from a discrete but secure distance, suggesting to the child that this thing seems very curious but also telling the child to be careful in getting closer, otherwise, they will get hurt. The child suddenly stops, starting to think about what they should do. We think that this scene evocates some questions about the ongoing process in which trust in oneself and others’ words and beliefs is central. In this work, we will try to hypothesize what influences the child’s choice and how the co-occurring underlying elements are developed.