Patients who would not be considered ideal candidates for psychoanalytic psychotherapy are those with primarily primitive defenses.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a long-term form of treatment that is based on the work of Sigmund Freud and his followers. It focuses on the unconscious mind, the origins of mental disorders, and the patient's past experiences. The therapy aims to help patients to understand their inner conflicts, and to change their patterns of thinking and behavior.
Patients with primarily primitive defenses, such as denial, projection, and acting out, may not be well suited for this type of therapy as they have difficulty in accessing their unconscious mind, and are not able to form the therapeutic alliance needed for this type of treatment.
Patients with primarily mature defense mechanisms, neurotic to healthy personality organization, and the capability to engage in a therapeutic alliance are considered to be more suitable candidates for psychoanalytic psychotherapy.