Most parents will never overtly mention any one of their kids as the favorite, but actions speak much louder than words, so the disposition toward each child is loud and clear in everyday interactions ...

You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email. On the surface, a family scapegoat often looks as if they're the problem child. They might be the ...

In interviews for my forthcoming book on verbal abuse, the subject of scapegoating comes up with great regularity; among the forms of verbal abuse used by parents, scapegoating appears to have go-to ...

Family scapegoating can cause long-term emotional harm, such as trauma and self-harm. Scapegoats are often chosen based on arbitrary factors like birth order or appearance, and this is never the child ...

On the surface, a family scapegoat often looks as if they're the problem child. They might be the college dropout in a legacy of Ivy Leaguers or the introverted gamer in a family of outgoing athletes.