posted 04-07-2008 09:06 AM            

2. To give couples a perspective of polygraph's role in the criminal justice world---rather than the god-like status of the Springer-types.

3. To give couples some resources regarding counselors.

4. To hopefully mitigate some liability concerns in the event of legal action against error or civil destruction of a marriage based on a result.

5. Possible control question material---which only occurred to me a few moments ago.

Keep in mind that on my PC, the brochure has good BOLD lettering headers, italics, and all of the nuances (including artwork) that DOES NOT get transferred to this antique web forum format.

ALSO---I have not received ANY approvement from the American POlygraph Association for such a document----so don't use it. I ALSO do not have permission to use (commercially) the artwork.

Let the infighting begin
Here it is;
----------------------------------------
Fidelity Polygraph Testing
An American Polygraph Association Guide/ Check Sheet

This check sheet has been developed by therapists and polygraph examiners as a tool to assist the couple who have hired an *American Polygraph Association Polygraph Examiner to conduct a fidelity/ sexual faithfulness polygraph test. Although this brochure serves as a guide to assist the couple, it does not include, nor is it meant to instruct a couple in understanding the polygraph test itself, the research and statistics, nor the operational details of the polygraph test. This guide is to be read by the parties involved with fidelity testing and is to educate the civilian as to what the test results mean, and what should a couple do before and after receiving the results of the test. The shared goal of the polygraph community, and the general public at large is to insure that couples and their individual members of the testing process are safe from spousal/partner abuse or violence of any kind, and that the hiring party(ies) responds to the results of the polygraph test in the same measured and reasonable manner that the criminal justice system has long responded to the results of a polygraph test.

The Fidelity Test

Within the Polygraph Industry, there are a number of types of testing that have been scrutinized by a great deal of research, and have given way to a strong yet measured amount of professional credibility. For example, it is well known that simply failing a criminal specific polygraph test by even the most effective polygraph examiners will not justify incarceration, nor any legal action whatsoever. Such precautions and/or preclusions by the U.S. Court system serve to place the polygraph test in the rightful place as a highly useful investigative tool, but not the end-all final word as to a person's honesty, integrity, or in the case of the fidelity test, faithfulness. Likewise, it is important that a fidelity type test contains participants who also give a measured amount of credibility towards the polygraph test. While the single-issue polygraph test has shown great utility in research studies, ANY test cannot be 100% accurate and handlers of the results of the test should refrain from viewing said results and taking drastic actions, in this case divorce or separation. The American Polygraph Association recommends that a “passed” OR “failed” polygraph test result should signal to the participants that enrolling in marital counseling by a licensed therapist is a critical part of interpreting the indications of the test, regardless of the results.

____
____ We understand that a polygraph test can in no way replace the value of couple's therapy by a licensed marriage/ couples counselor.

____
____We understand that the results of the polygraph test, although typically shown to be 93% accurate, should not be considered to be or mistaken for 100% accurate. No examiner can ethically claim better accuracy that 93%.

____
____ We understand that if the test results were to indicate that one or both couples have engaged in infidelity/ unfaithfullness, that no hasty measures should be taken regarding the devolving of the marriage until all therapeutic measures have been undertaken.

______
______ Neither members of this union have ever engaged in, been arrested for, or convicted of, domestic violence, rape, or any other sexual felony as an adult.

______
______ Neither members of this union have threatened violence against one another regarding any possible results of the polygraph test. Furthermore, neither members are being tested under threats or promises of kind to take the polygraph test.

_____
_____ Both parties promise to conduct themselves without verbal or physical outburst while in the office or on the premises of _____________ before, during, or after the polygraph test.

_____
_____ Both partners have read and understood the fidelity testing booklet and have decided to continue with the polygraph without a third party counselor for guidance.

Here is a list of local Marriage/Couples Counselors. For more, check your local listings;

_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________

posted 04-07-2008 12:21 PM            

I'll read it more later.

Can I suggest broadening the language beyond marital unions? Politics and values aside, it isn't just us breeders that cheat, disagree, and need help. Some happily unmarried folks might want a polygraph too.

I did a fidelity test for a good therapist, on a guy who was arrested for prostitution while engaged. His fiancee was seriously distressed, and knew he had left the priesthood due to some ethics issues. He disclosed to me he sexually touched a 15 year old female member of his parish, and had a serious pornography and prostitution problem for years. I have no problem doing a history/disclosure test and letting the therapist discuss the results with the fiancee - who can then make informed decisions about her health, safety, and long term happiness and security.

Also, it might be best to use common terms like "domestic violence" and set the threshold of disclosure at "police contact or arrest." Its low, sure, but don't ya wanna know all that stuff?

r

------------------
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room."
--(Stanley Kubrick/Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

posted 04-07-2008 01:00 PM            

I had some internal issue regarding inquiring whether one of the couple members has EVER ENGAGED in assaultive violence, convicted/arrested OR not. 50% of all males have done so in their life (against other males)---and then again my language says "against the opposite sex"---which is too narrow.Also, I hesitate to be too broad on the violence topic as many couples have violent sex. If we are too broad, than the document becomes too sanctimonious and will be more readily chalked up with "afterschool special moralizing."

So do we call ANY sexually partnered clients the "significant partner" or "sex partner?"

posted 04-07-2008 01:16 PM            

I know about those concerns.

I still suggest using the colloquial term "domestic violence" only because most everyone knows what you mean.

How many times have you heard "they got me on a domestic..." or "I got a domestic," instead of "I beat the snot out of my wife," or the milder, but no less accurate "I hit my wife." Actually, what they usually say is "she attacked me, I was trying to leave, but I got a domestic..." DV offenders often assign their violent behavior directly to their victim.

If you read the psychological literature, you'll see the term "intimate partner violence" (IPV) but that will be odd to people.

r

------------------
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room."
--(Stanley Kubrick/Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

posted 04-07-2008 02:04 PM            

For those of you doing fidelity tests, perhaps this could be a painless (maybe even more beneficial) compromise----and for those against such testing, perhaps you would view the brochure/checklist as "better than wilderness."

Certainly the insurance companies would like such a thing. If a person lies about domestic violence on the "form"--an examiner would've at least made a thoughtful attempt to gain such on paper----were a domestic violence scenario occur immediately after a test and the incident be played out in a criminal or divorce court as a matter of eventfulness. Anyone who thinks that women aren't getting beaten after failed tests is in a really thick denial.

For those that believe that fidelity testing is an illegitamate modality and fears that such formalized precautions would "legitimize" the fringe, than I say you lack an imagination and resourcefulness. To the public (see lawmakers), we aren't divided into cops, private, federal----we are all the same creature. What's wrong with a little risk management and polish?

Ike Turner