The Hidden Half of Adversity: Making the ‘Dyadic Other’ Visible in Adverse Childhood Experiences
1
Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Melbourne Uni, Carlton, Australia
2
Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
3
Justice Health Group, enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
4
School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
5
Centre for Mental Health and Community Wellbeing, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
6
School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
7
Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
8
Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2305
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent, frequently co-occur, and escalate the risk of morbidity and mortality across the lifespan. ACEs (including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction) inherently involve both the victim and a "dyadic other." While identifying the dyadic other is essential for targeted prevention, most ACE instruments and research on ACEs omit the dyadic other’s identity. This study examines how the invisibility of the dyadic other in research and the design of interventions limits our understanding of ACE prevalence and health impacts. We present cross-national data on dyadic identities and their associations with specific ACE types across 17 countries.
METHODS:
We conducted a narrative review evaluating how the dyadic other is implicitly or explicitly captured in existing ACE measures. This review assesses how omitting these identities biases prevalence estimates and hinders intervention design. Subsequently, we analysed data from Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) across 17 countries to determine the prevalence of specific ACEs and the corresponding identity of the dyadic other.
RESULTS:
Preliminary analysis across the 17-country dataset indicates significant variation in dyadic identities depending on the ACE type. Findings suggest that failing to account for the specific relationship between the victim and the dyadic other leads to underreporting and non-specific prevention strategies. Finalised comparative data across all 17 regions, representing over 50000 participants, will be presented.
CONCLUSIONS:
Elucidating the identity of the dyadic other is critical for refining screening tools and developing ecological prevention strategies. This research provides a novel framework for moving beyond victim-centric data to a more comprehensive relational understanding of trauma, representing an essential step in global public health policy for youth.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent, frequently co-occur, and escalate the risk of morbidity and mortality across the lifespan. ACEs (including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction) inherently involve both the victim and a "dyadic other." While identifying the dyadic other is essential for targeted prevention, most ACE instruments and research on ACEs omit the dyadic other’s identity. This study examines how the invisibility of the dyadic other in research and the design of interventions limits our understanding of ACE prevalence and health impacts. We present cross-national data on dyadic identities and their associations with specific ACE types across 17 countries.
METHODS:
We conducted a narrative review evaluating how the dyadic other is implicitly or explicitly captured in existing ACE measures. This review assesses how omitting these identities biases prevalence estimates and hinders intervention design. Subsequently, we analysed data from Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) across 17 countries to determine the prevalence of specific ACEs and the corresponding identity of the dyadic other.
RESULTS:
Preliminary analysis across the 17-country dataset indicates significant variation in dyadic identities depending on the ACE type. Findings suggest that failing to account for the specific relationship between the victim and the dyadic other leads to underreporting and non-specific prevention strategies. Finalised comparative data across all 17 regions, representing over 50000 participants, will be presented.
CONCLUSIONS:
Elucidating the identity of the dyadic other is critical for refining screening tools and developing ecological prevention strategies. This research provides a novel framework for moving beyond victim-centric data to a more comprehensive relational understanding of trauma, representing an essential step in global public health policy for youth.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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