The relationship between formal operations cognition and suitability for psychoanalytic treatment.

Psychoanalytic practice can benefit from a coherent theory of cognition that is more comprehensive than, but which includes the related concepts of primary/secondary processes. For reasons not yet understood, cognition has not received the continuing attention it deserves in psychoanalytic theory. As demonstrated, Piaget's empirical studies of cognition can potentially help the practicing psychoanalyst to clinically differentiate those patients suitable for psychoanalytic treatment. It appears that Piaget's theory may hold greater utility for psychoanalysis than has been evidenced to date and analysts may be able to eventually describe defensive operations as well as other ego functions in terms of the cognitive functions delineated by Piaget.