Helping Clients Prepare a Disclosure Statement Before a Therapeutic Polygraph Examination

Guidance for Therapists and Counsellors Referring Clients for Disclosure-Focused Polygraph Assessment

1. Introduction

When a client is engaged in therapeutic work around compulsive sexual behaviour, problematic sexual behaviour, infidelity, pornography-related concerns, online sexual behaviour, or relational deception, the treating therapist or counsellor may consider referring the client for a therapeutic polygraph examination as part of a wider recovery or accountability process.

In many cases, this involves the client preparing a written disclosure statement before the examination. The disclosure statement sets out what the client is acknowledging and forms the basis for the polygraph examiner to develop clear, behaviour-specific questions.

This article is intended to help therapists and counsellors understand how disclosure statements are commonly reviewed and evaluated for polygraph purposes. It offers practical guidance on scope, timing, content, and professional boundaries — from the examiner's perspective — so that referring professionals can support their clients through the process more effectively.

For a broader overview of disclosure-focused polygraph examinations in compulsive sexual behaviour cases, see our related article: Disclosure Polygraph Examinations and Compulsive Sexual Behaviour: A Guide for Partners, Therapists and Professionals.

2. What Is a Therapeutic Polygraph Examination?

A therapeutic polygraph examination is a structured credibility assessment conducted within the context of treatment, recovery, or relationship repair. It uses physiological monitoring to assess responses to agreed, behaviour-specific questions and is typically requested by a therapist, counsellor, partner, or the client themselves as part of a disclosure or accountability process.

It is important to be clear about what a therapeutic polygraph examination is not:

• It is not therapy, counselling, or clinical intervention.
• It does not diagnose Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder or any other condition.
• It does not replace the therapeutic relationship or the clinical work being undertaken by the referring professional.
• It does not guarantee truthfulness, and a favourable result does not automatically restore trust.

The examination provides structured information — the result should be integrated into the wider therapeutic or professional process, not treated as a standalone verdict.

3. Why the Disclosure Statement Matters

The written disclosure statement often becomes the foundation for reviewing scope and formulating clear polygraph questions. A well-prepared statement allows the polygraph examiner to understand what the client is acknowledging, identify any apparent gaps, and develop questions that are precise, fair, and suitable for testing.

Without a clear disclosure statement, the examiner may face difficulties including:

• Ambiguity about what the client is or is not admitting
• Uncertainty about the relevant time period or relationship context
• Difficulty formulating questions that are specific enough for reliable testing
• The need for extensive clarification during the pre-examination interview, which can increase client anxiety and reduce the usefulness of the process

A disclosure statement that is clear, specific, and honest provides the best foundation for a focused and professionally conducted polygraph examination.

4. Maintaining Professional Boundaries

When a therapist or counsellor refers a client for a polygraph examination, the roles of the two professionals should remain clearly defined and distinct.

• The therapist or counsellor provides therapeutic support, manages the clinical relationship, helps the client process emotional material, and may assist the client in preparing the disclosure statement within the therapeutic context.
• The polygraph examiner reviews the disclosure statement, develops the examination questions, conducts the structured examination, interprets the physiological data, and reports the results.

The therapist's role is not to coach the client to "pass" a polygraph. The examiner's role is not to provide therapy. These boundaries protect both the client and the professionals involved.

Where both professionals are working with the same client, clear communication about roles, scope, confidentiality, and report distribution is essential. If the therapist has concerns about the client's suitability for examination — for example, relating to mental health, medication, or acute distress — these should be communicated to the examiner before the appointment is scheduled.

5. Agreeing the Scope of the Disclosure

Before the client begins writing a disclosure statement, it is important to agree the scope of the disclosure. This is typically discussed between the therapist, the client, and where appropriate, the polygraph examiner or other involved professional.

Scope may include:

• Time period — the start and end dates the disclosure is intended to cover (for example, "since the beginning of the current relationship" or "since the last polygraph examination")
• Behaviours included — what types of behaviour are within scope, such as physical contact, online sexual behaviour, pornography use, messaging, use of dating applications, paid sexual services, or financial concealment
• Behaviours excluded — what is explicitly outside the scope of this particular disclosure
• Relationship context — whether the disclosure relates to a specific relationship, a defined period of a relationship, or broader behavioural patterns
• Online behaviour — whether the disclosure should address use of specific platforms, applications, devices, or accounts
• Financial concealment — whether hidden payments, subscriptions, or financial deception are relevant
• Secret accounts or devices — whether undisclosed email addresses, phone numbers, social media accounts, or hidden devices should be addressed
• Previous disclosure periods — whether the current statement covers behaviour already addressed in a prior disclosure or only new or previously undisclosed behaviour
• Relapse boundaries — where relevant, whether specific agreed boundaries have been maintained or breached since the last disclosure or examination

Defining scope in advance helps the client write a focused statement and allows the examiner to develop questions that are directly relevant to the agreed concerns.

6. Timing of the Disclosure Statement

The timing of the disclosure statement can significantly affect its quality and usefulness. A statement should not usually be rushed immediately after discovery, confrontation, or a crisis point. In the immediate aftermath of disclosure or discovery, emotions are heightened and the client may be more likely to produce a statement that is reactive, incomplete, or overly defensive.

The statement should normally be prepared after:

• The scope has been agreed between the relevant parties
• The client has had time to reflect carefully on what is being disclosed
• The treating or referring professional has reviewed the statement for clarity and completeness before it is sent to the examiner
• Any immediate safeguarding or legal concerns have been addressed through the appropriate channels

If the statement was prepared some time before the examination, the client should be asked to confirm that it remains current and complete. If new behaviours have occurred since the statement was written, it should be updated before the examination proceeds.

7. What Makes a Statement Suitable for Polygraph Review?

From the examiner's perspective, a disclosure statement is most useful when it is:

• Factual — describing what happened in clear, concrete terms rather than offering emotional explanations or justifications
• Chronological — organised in a way that allows the examiner to understand the sequence and timing of events
• Behaviour-specific — identifying the actual conduct involved, not just the emotional context around it
• Time-limited where possible — specifying the period covered by the disclosure
• Clear — using plain language that does not require interpretation or clinical translation
• Non-graphic — providing enough detail for the examiner to formulate questions without unnecessary explicit sexual detail
• Suitable for yes/no question formulation — the information should be clear enough that the examiner can develop specific, testable questions based on what has been disclosed and what may have been omitted

A disclosure statement should be factual rather than defensive. Its purpose is to inform the examination process, not to persuade, explain away, or minimise behaviour.

8. Content That May Be Relevant

The specific content of a disclosure statement will depend on the scope agreed for the particular case. However, the following areas are commonly addressed in disclosure statements prepared for therapeutic polygraph examinations:

• Use of pornography, including type, frequency, and any escalation
• Use of dating applications or websites
• Sexual messaging, sexting, or exchange of sexual images
• Webcam-based sexual activity
• Paid sexual services, including online or in person
• Physical affairs or sexual contact with other people
• Secret email addresses, phone numbers, or social media accounts
• Hidden devices, secondary phones, or concealed applications
• Hidden payments, subscriptions, or financial deception
• Boundary breaches within agreed recovery or relationship contracts
• Previous lies, omissions, or partial disclosures to a partner, therapist, or other professional

The client does not need to include unnecessary graphic detail. The statement should provide enough information for the examiner to understand the type, scope, and context of the behaviour being disclosed.

9. Content That Should Usually Be Avoided

Certain types of content tend to reduce the usefulness of a disclosure statement for polygraph purposes:

• Vague language — phrases such as "I crossed boundaries online" or "I made mistakes" do not give the examiner enough information to develop specific questions
• Minimising wording — statements that acknowledge behaviour in the most general or diminished terms possible (for example, "I looked at some things online") can create ambiguity about what is actually being disclosed
• Unnecessary graphic detail — the statement should describe behaviour clearly without including explicit sexual descriptions that are not relevant to question formulation
• Blame — attributing the behaviour to the partner, the relationship, stress, or other external factors does not assist the examiner and may indicate avoidance of accountability
• Excessive psychological explanation — while therapeutic insight may be valuable in the clinical context, the polygraph disclosure statement should focus on what happened rather than why it happened
• Strategic disclosure — preparing a statement that is designed to reveal just enough to appear cooperative while deliberately withholding significant information. The polygraph examination may be specifically designed to test whether the disclosure is complete

Practical Examples

Vague wording:

"I crossed boundaries online."

Better wording:

"Between March and June 2024, I used a dating app and exchanged sexual messages with two people. I did not meet either person in person."

The second example gives the examiner a defined time period, a specific platform, a clear type of behaviour, and a boundary statement — all of which support precise question formulation.

10. Translating Disclosure Into Polygraph Questions

The polygraph examiner is responsible for formulating the final examination questions. The therapist and client do not write the polygraph questions — but the quality of the disclosure statement directly influences the quality of the questions the examiner is able to develop.

Good polygraph questions are behaviour-specific, time-limited, relevant to the agreed scope, clear, unambiguous, and capable of a yes/no answer. They are agreed between the examiner and the examinee before the examination begins.

Examples

Poor question (too broad):

"Have you ever been sexually dishonest?"

Better question (behaviour-specific):

"Other than what you have disclosed in your written statement, since January 2023 have you had sexual contact with anyone other than your partner?"

Another better question:

"Since your disclosure statement was completed, have you used any secret account to communicate with another person for sexual purposes?"

These are examples only. The polygraph examiner determines the final wording of all questions after reviewing the disclosure statement and conducting the pre-examination discussion with the examinee. Questions may be revised, refined, or excluded to ensure they are suitable for testing.

11. Reporting the Result

Following the examination, the polygraph examiner prepares a written report. The report is provided to the recipients agreed in advance through the consent process. This may include the referring therapist, the client, a partner, a solicitor, or another professional — as defined before the examination.

The polygraph report should typically identify:

• The purpose of the examination
• The scope of the examination
• The questions asked
• The answers given
• The result
• Any relevant disclosures or admissions made during the pre-examination interview
• The limitations of the examination

Depending on the method and scoring system used, the possible outcomes may include:

• No Significant Response (NSR) or No Deception Indicated (NDI) — the physiological data did not show significant responses to the relevant questions
• Significant Response (SR) or Deception Indicated (DI) — the physiological data showed significant responses to one or more relevant questions
• Inconclusive (INC) or No Opinion (NO) — the data did not produce a clear result in either direction

It is important for referring professionals to understand that a favourable result does not automatically restore trust. Equally, an inconclusive result is not the same as proof of deception. The result should be considered within the broader context of the therapeutic process, the client's wider behaviour, and any other relevant information available to the treating or referring professional.

12. Safeguarding and Legal Boundaries

A disclosure statement prepared for a polygraph examination should not be used to bypass safeguarding responsibilities. If the disclosure reveals or suggests concerns involving:

• Children or young people
• Vulnerable adults
• Illegal material, including indecent images
• Non-consensual conduct
• Coercion, controlling behaviour, or stalking
• Workplace misconduct or professional boundary violations
• Risk to others

then these matters may need to be addressed through the appropriate safeguarding channels, statutory agencies, or legal processes — independently of, and where necessary before, any polygraph examination. The polygraph examiner is not a safeguarding lead and does not replace the responsibilities of the treating professional, the client, or any relevant statutory agency.

Therapists and counsellors should ensure they have appropriate clinical supervision and safeguarding guidance in place before supporting a client through a disclosure process that may reveal conduct requiring onward referral.

13. Practical Considerations Before Referral

Before referring a client for a therapeutic polygraph examination, the therapist or counsellor may wish to consider the following:

• Is the client providing informed, voluntary consent to the examination?
• Has the scope of the disclosure been agreed?
• Has the relevant time period been defined?
• Has the client had adequate time to prepare a written disclosure statement?
• Has the statement been reviewed for clarity and completeness?
• Are there any safeguarding or legal concerns that should be addressed before the examination?
• Is the client emotionally stable enough to undertake the examination at this time?
• Are there any medical, psychiatric, or medication considerations the examiner should be aware of?
• Has agreement been reached on who will receive the report?
• Does the client understand that the result is not a guarantee of truthfulness?
• Does the client understand that the result will be shared with agreed recipients?
• Is the referral being made for a clear professional purpose, not as a punitive or coercive measure?

14. Working Collaboratively

When the referring therapist or counsellor and the polygraph examiner communicate effectively, the process tends to be more focused, more useful, and less distressing for the client. Good collaboration may include:

• A brief pre-examination discussion between the therapist and examiner to clarify the referral context and scope
• Agreement on what information the therapist will provide and what will remain confidential within the therapeutic relationship
• Clarity about who will receive the polygraph report and how it will be used
• Managing expectations about what the examination can and cannot determine
• Avoiding unsuitable or emotionally loaded questions that may compromise the quality of the examination
• Post-examination communication, where agreed, to help the therapist integrate the result into the wider clinical or relational process

The examiner welcomes professional input from therapists and counsellors. This is not about shared clinical responsibility — it is about ensuring that the examination is properly scoped, appropriately timed, and aligned with the client's wider support framework.

15. Conclusion

A therapeutic polygraph examination can provide structure, clarity, and accountability in situations where compulsive sexual behaviour, problematic sexual behaviour, pornography-related concerns, online sexual behaviour, or relational deception have undermined trust and created uncertainty.

The disclosure statement is a central element of this process. When it is well prepared — factual, specific, appropriately scoped, and honestly written — it supports the examiner in developing a focused, fair, and professionally conducted examination.

The goal is not certainty and not perfection. It is clarity, accountability, safety, informed decision-making, and appropriate professional boundaries — for the client, the partner where relevant, the referring professional, and the examiner.

If you are a therapist, counsellor, or referring professional considering a disclosure-focused polygraph examination for a client, Dr Keith Ashcroft welcomes a confidential preliminary discussion about whether the process is appropriate for the circumstances.

This article is provided for general information only by a polygraph examiner and forensic professional. It does not constitute psychotherapy, counselling, clinical supervision, diagnosis, legal advice, safeguarding advice, or treatment guidance. A polygraph examination is not therapy and does not replace clinical assessment or professional advice. Results should be interpreted cautiously and in context. Where there are safeguarding, legal, or mental health concerns, appropriate professional advice should be sought independently.

Dr Keith Ashcroft is a Chartered Psychologist, polygraph examiner, and member of the American Polygraph Association at the Centre for Forensic Neuroscience. To discuss whether a disclosure-focused polygraph examination may be appropriate for your client or circumstances, contact Dr Ashcroft for a confidential consultation.