Projective identification is the psychological mechanism that drives family scapegoating. Narcissistic parents project their inner psychic split, separated good and bad parts, onto their children.

Projective identification is the unconscious projection of unwanted aspects of one's self into others, leading to the bolstering of a conscious self-view concordant with one's role requirements.

Ely, R., Sanaz Mobasseri, and C. Chu. "Defending White Hegemonic Masculinity: A Test of the Projective Identification Hypothesis." Paper presented at the European Group for Organizational Studies ...

Scapegoating is a common yet widely unacknowledged reality in family systems dominated by narcissistic parents. A scapegoated child is targeted with negative projections from one or both parents ...