I've been a polygrapher for almost ten years and have done a fair amount of these exams. As I state on my web site, such "fidelity tests" are usually a waste of time and money.

Most people who call me about such polygraphs appear to heed my advice, but others are completely tone deaf. Still others submit to the test either out of frustration/desperation, or agree to take the polygraph if -- and only if -- the couple goes into (or continues) counseling, regardless of the polygraph outcome.

The polygraph community is remarkably polarized on the subject of fidelity testing. Many examiners refuse to do them, but others eagerly accept the work.

Curiously, the American Polygraph Association does not have a model policy for fidelity testing, as they do for several other polygraph specialty applications such as PCSOT and LEPET. Why? My hunch is that the APA officers, historically, have lacked sufficient faith in the application of polygraph for such a potentially weighty outcome. By that I mean a large number of fidelity test clients view the polygraph result as a near-perfect finding upon which to base their make-or-break decision regarding the future of the relationship. That's a grave mistake -- for ANY application of polygraph.