Definition
Scapegoating is the family process by which one member absorbs the system’s unacknowledged pain, blame, or dysfunction, often producing an “identified patient” whose symptoms serve the system.
Why it matters
Understanding scapegoating protects individuals from carrying weight that was never theirs alone.
The Science
Scapegoating has been documented in family systems, group dynamics, and organizational research. It is one of the more damaging homeostatic mechanisms available to a system under stress.
The NSI Perspective
NSI treats scapegoating as system dysfunction, not individual defect. Naming it — carefully — begins the work.
Clinical Implications
The identified patient is often not the patient. Family and systems assessment reframes treatment.
Practical Application
If you were the "problem" in your family, that role often belongs to the system, not to you.
References
- 1.Vogel EF, Bell NW. The emotionally disturbed child as the family scapegoat. Psychoanal Rev. 1960;47B:21–42.