Sex Addiction & Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Polygraph Examinations
Clarity, Accountability, and a Structured Way Forward.
A therapeutic polygraph examination for compulsive sexual behaviour provides a structured, evidence-led framework to evaluate disclosure, support relationship recovery, and establish accountability. It is not a therapy session, clinical diagnosis, or guarantee of absolute historical truth. Instead, it provides an objective assessment of the degree of confidence that can reasonably be placed in the substantial completeness and accuracy of a disclosure within an agreed scope.
The term 'sex addiction' is commonly used by the public and in relationship recovery settings. Clinically, some presentations may be discussed in terms of Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder (CSBD), recognised in ICD-11. A polygraph examination is not a clinical diagnosis and should not replace therapy or medical advice.
A disclosure examination is not a list of questions
A disclosure polygraph examination is not designed to work through a long list of individual questions or concerns one by one. The starting point is the disclosure itself and its agreed scope.
The examiner reviews the disclosure, considers any areas of concern identified by the client, partner, or therapist, and develops a limited number of technically appropriate examination questions. The findings are then considered collectively to provide an overall assessment of the degree of confidence that can reasonably be placed in the substantial completeness of the disclosure within the agreed scope.
The examination is therefore not intended to provide individual yes/no determinations against a long questionnaire. It does not imply that the polygraph establishes absolute truth or guarantees that every conceivable historical detail has been disclosed.
Living with Doubt
Uncertainty about a partner's sexual behaviour, undisclosed contact, pornography use, or online activity can cause significant anxiety, betrayal trauma, and distress in relationships. Whether you are experiencing doubt as a partner or seeking to rebuild trust through full transparency yourself, the situation can feel overwhelming and isolating.
A polygraph examination does not promise mathematical certainty or resolve complex relationship issues on its own. However, it can offer a structured, carefully scoped process to evaluate disclosure completeness — providing a solid foundation for accountability, informed decision-making, and, where appropriate, the restorative work of recovery.
"It is not about blame. It is about creating a structured opportunity for honesty, clarity, and a way forward."
Integrating Polygraph Examination into Recovery Support
Confidential Examinations. Respectful, Recovery-Focused Support.
The Centre for Forensic Neuroscience understands the sensitive nature of these enquiries. The examination process is guided by professional standards, careful scope definition, and respect for everyone involved.
Qualified Examiner
Dr Keith Ashcroft is a Chartered Investigative Psychologist, polygraph examiner, and member of the American Polygraph Association. All examinations are conducted to rigorous professional standards.
Confidential and Discreet Process
Information is handled discreetly and professionally. Any limits to confidentiality, such as safeguarding concerns or agreed third-party reporting, are explained before the examination.
Respectful and Trauma-Informed Approach
The process is conducted with sensitivity. You will be treated respectfully, without judgement, and with an understanding of the emotional difficulty of these situations.
Structured, Evidence-Informed Method
The examination follows a structured process using recognised polygraph procedures. Results should be considered alongside wider context, professional judgement, and any therapeutic input.
How the Process Works
Each polygraph examination follows a structured, evidence-led procedure designed to ensure clarity, informed consent, and methodological independence throughout.
Initial Enquiry and Suitability Review
We discuss the therapeutic purpose of the examination, the proposed context, and whether a polygraph examination is appropriate for the situation. The suitability assessment is designed to identify circumstances where proceeding may not be in the individual's best interest and where delaying the examination until further therapeutic work has taken place is clinically preferable. This is a safeguarding measure, not an administrative step.
Disclosure Review and Scope Setting
The starting point is the written disclosure itself. The examiner reviews the disclosure, evaluates areas of concern submitted by the client, partner, or therapist, and defines the material scope. Rather than converting a partner's list into individual questions, the examiner identifies key material areas and formulates a small number of technically valid examination questions.
Pre-Examination Interview
The examiner explains the testing instrumentation, reviews the background history, and reviews every formulated examination question in detail with the examinee to ensure complete clarity and understanding before any physiological data collection begins.
Polygraph Examination
Standardised physiological sensors record autonomic nervous system activity across multiple chart runs as the examinee answers the carefully formulated questions.
Collective Analysis and Disclosure Confidence Report
The physiological findings across all relevant questions are evaluated collectively. The examiner produces a formal written report providing an overall Disclosure Confidence assessment concerning whether the disclosure appears substantially complete within the agreed scope.
Types of Therapeutic Polygraph Examination
Every therapeutic situation is unique. It is essential to understand the clear methodological distinctions between the three principal formats of therapeutic examination:
Disclosure Polygraph Examination
Primary Purpose: Assess confidence in whether a disclosure appears substantially complete within an agreed scope.
The starting point is the written disclosure. The examiner reviews the disclosure, considers concerns raised by the client, partner, or therapist, and formulates a limited number of technically valid questions.
Key Distinction: Findings are considered collectively to provide an overall Disclosure Confidence assessment, rather than a series of independent yes/no answers to a long questionnaire.
Specific-Issue Polygraph Examination
Primary Purpose: Examine a clearly defined behaviour, incident, allegation, or proposition.
Focused on one or a small number of discrete factual issues (e.g. contact with a specific individual, visiting a particular venue, or financial concealment).
Key Distinction: Appropriate where a single event or discrete factual allegation requires resolution rather than an overarching disclosure completeness review.
Maintenance Polygraph Examination
Primary Purpose: Assess adherence to clearly defined recovery boundaries during an agreed period.
Used periodically during ongoing therapeutic work or recovery to maintain accountability and verify adherence to established behavioural commitments.
Key Distinction: Evaluates adherence to forward-looking recovery boundaries over a defined timeframe, distinct from retrospective historical disclosure.
| Examination Type | Primary Purpose | Analytical Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Disclosure Polygraph | Assess confidence in whether a disclosure appears substantially complete within an agreed scope | Findings considered collectively to provide an overall Disclosure Confidence assessment |
| Specific-Issue Polygraph | Examine a clearly defined behaviour, event, allegation, or proposition | Focused on discrete factual determinations regarding the specific issue under examination |
| Maintenance Polygraph | Assess adherence to agreed recovery boundaries during a defined period | Evaluates adherence to therapeutic commitments and relapse prevention boundaries |
What Partners and Therapists Should Provide
You do not need to prepare a list of polygraph questions. If a partner or therapist has particular concerns, these can be provided to the examiner as areas requiring clarification. They help define the scope of the examination but are not necessarily asked individually. The examiner formulates the final examination questions after reviewing the disclosure and identifying the most material issues.
Helpful Information to Submit for Scope-Setting:
- Areas of concern: Specific topics or activities requiring transparency.
- Issues requiring clarification: Ambiguities, gaps, or unresolved doubts in previous accounts.
- Apparent inconsistencies: Dates, communications, or behaviours that appear conflicting.
- Therapeutically material boundaries: Specific behaviours, contact types, or time periods considered vital for recovery.
- Proposed questions: Any draft questions you have compiled (these are reviewed as scope-setting guidance rather than administered verbatim).
Maintaining examiner responsibility for question formulation preserves methodological independence and ensures all questions comply with validated polygraph testing standards.
Preparing for a Disclosure Polygraph Examination
A disclosure examination is most effective when the examinee has prepared a structured written disclosure document or clear summary of past behaviour. Before the appointment, it is helpful to establish:
- the agreed period of time under examination;
- the specific relationship boundaries or behaviours at issue;
- any pornography, online activity, messaging, contact, or in-person conduct requiring evaluation;
- whether a therapist or supporting professional is coordinating the disclosure;
- who will receive the formal written report;
- how the findings will be integrated into ongoing recovery work.
Methodological quality is prioritised over question quantity. The examination uses a limited number of carefully constructed, relevant questions determined by the scope of the disclosure rather than a commercial package of questions.
Who This Service May Help
- Individuals in recovery from compulsive sexual behaviour seeking structured disclosure validation
- Couples working through formal disclosure after betrayal trauma or hidden behaviour
- Therapists and counsellors facilitating structured disclosure pathways
- Partners seeking objective clarity regarding agreed relationship boundaries
- Legal or safeguarding professionals requiring a carefully scoped private examination
Important: This service is not suitable where a person is being coerced, where informed consent is absent, or where the examination is being requested to intimidate, shame, or control another person.
Private Therapeutic Polygraph Suitability Questionnaire
This private questionnaire opens as a separate browser-only page for prospective clients and partners considering whether a Disclosure Polygraph, Specific-Issue Polygraph, or Maintenance Polygraph may be appropriate.
It is not a booking form and does not submit answers to The Centre for Forensic Neuroscience. Your answers are processed privately in your browser and can be downloaded or printed locally if you choose.
Open Private QuestionnaireWorking With Therapists and Supporting Professionals
Where a therapist, counsellor, solicitor, or safeguarding professional is involved, Dr Keith Ashcroft works within a clearly defined professional framework.
The role of the therapist or supporting clinician is to manage the therapeutic context and relationship support. The role of the polygraph examiner is to conduct an independent, structured examination around material scope areas. The examiner does not provide therapy, diagnose Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder, or dictate decisions following the examination.
Where appropriate, clinical context helps ensure that the examination is properly scoped, ethically grounded, and aligned with the wider therapeutic support process.
Trauma-Informed Clinical Practice
The Centre for Forensic Neuroscience recognises that clients and partners entering recovery may have experienced significant psychological distress. A therapeutic polygraph examination is not intended to increase that distress and is never presented as a replacement for therapy.
Within a recovery context, polygraph examinations are integrated within an established therapeutic pathway. The examination is one component of a broader process and should support—not undermine—ongoing treatment. Its purpose is to reduce uncertainty, facilitate honest disclosure, improve accountability, and support therapeutic progress when clinically appropriate.
Pre-Examination Suitability Screening
Every referral undergoes structured pre-examination suitability screening. This screening considers whether the timing, circumstances, and clinical presentation of the individual are consistent with a constructive examination process.
An examination may be postponed or declined where there is evidence of:
- acute psychological instability;
- unmanaged mental health crisis;
- active crisis or suicidal ideation;
- coercion or relational intimidation;
- inability to provide informed consent;
- or where the treating therapist indicates that further preparatory work should occur first.
These decisions reflect professional judgement regarding when an examination should, and should not, proceed. The welfare of both the client and the partner remains central throughout the process.
For referring clinicians: Where a therapist has questions about a client's readiness for examination, The Centre for Forensic Neuroscience welcomes direct consultation before a formal referral is initiated. A brief discussion helps ensure optimal timing and clinical alignment.
Possible Outcomes and Next Steps
A polygraph examination produces an evidence-based assessment of physiological responses across the examination charts, categorised through structured confidence bands or concern indicators.
The result is not a standalone verdict or clinical diagnosis. It should be interpreted cautiously alongside the wider therapeutic context, the examinee's written disclosure, and professional guidance.
Where findings indicate reduced confidence or an unresolved concern, the appropriate next step may be further discussion, additional disclosure work, targeted therapeutic support, or boundary clarification within the recovery plan.
Therapeutic Confidence-Based Reporting
Where a formal report is shared with a partner, therapist, or supporting clinician, the terminology used significantly affects how the findings are understood. The Centre for Forensic Neuroscience avoids simplistic terms such as “passed”, “failed”, “truthful”, or “deceptive”. Instead, reports communicate findings using carefully defined confidence and concern bands.
Understanding Disclosure Confidence
In therapeutic disclosure work, the central question is often not whether an individual is generally truthful, but whether the specific written disclosure provided appears substantially complete within the agreed scope of examination. For this reason, disclosure reports communicate an overall assessment of Disclosure Confidence.
Disclosure Confidence represents an overall professional interpretation of the examination findings in relation to the defined disclosure scope. It reflects the degree of confidence that can reasonably be placed in the substantial completeness of the disclosure. It does not represent mathematical certainty, proof of lifelong perfection, a guarantee of absolute truthfulness, or proof that every minor historical event has been disclosed.
Instead, it provides an objective, structured foundation that enables partners, therapists, and clinicians to discuss whether the disclosure appears sufficient to support accountability, recovery work, informed decision-making, and therapeutic progression.
For disclosure examinations, Disclosure Confidence serves as the principal framework through which findings are interpreted and reported.
Disclosure Polygraph Examination Bands
The following bands describe the degree to which examination findings support confidence in the substantial completeness of the disclosure within the agreed scope:
High Disclosure Confidence
Examination findings were broadly consistent with the disclosure provided. No significant physiological indicators emerged suggesting material omissions within the agreed scope. This supports increased confidence that the disclosure is substantially complete, though it must not be interpreted as absolute proof that every conceivable historical detail was disclosed.
Moderate Disclosure Confidence
Some aspects of the physiological recordings warrant further exploration or discussion. The examination neither strongly supports nor strongly challenges confidence in the completeness of the disclosure.
Low Disclosure Confidence
The findings provide limited support for confidence in the completeness of the disclosure within the agreed scope. Further therapeutic exploration, clarification, and additional disclosure work may be appropriate.
Specific-Issue Polygraph Examination Bands
Unlike disclosure examinations, which assess the completeness of an account, specific-issue examinations focus on a clearly defined allegation, incident, behaviour, or contact. Findings are described in terms of concern regarding the specific proposition:
- Low Concern Regarding the Specific Issue
- Unresolved Concern Regarding the Specific Issue
- Elevated Concern Regarding the Specific Issue
Maintenance Polygraph Examination Bands
Where the examination evaluates ongoing recovery adherence, accountability, or boundary maintenance, findings are communicated using Recovery Confidence bands:
- High Recovery Confidence — Findings support adherence to agreed recovery boundaries during the defined monitoring period.
- Moderate Recovery Confidence — Findings suggest potential ambiguities requiring therapeutic review.
- Low Recovery Confidence — Findings provide limited support for boundary compliance; clinical relapse prevention review is advised.
Reporting Language
Traditional Wording to Avoid
- Passed
- Failed
- Truthful
- Deceptive
- Lied
- Cleared
Preferred Reporting Language
- Findings consistent with the account
- Findings inconsistent with the account
- High disclosure confidence
- Reduced disclosure confidence
- Elevated concern indicator
- Recovery confidence requiring review
How Therapists May Use Disclosure Confidence
Disclosure Confidence provides therapists and counsellors with a structured reference point that supports existing clinical work. It aids disclosure review, therapeutic goal setting, accountability work, and relationship repair.
Disclosure Confidence should not be interpreted as a clinical diagnosis, risk assessment, legal ruling, or determination of absolute truth. It serves as an objective evidentiary source to assist therapeutic decision-making.
Many therapists find confidence-based reporting significantly more productive than traditional binary language because it fosters exploration, honest clarification, and recovery planning rather than defensive debates over labels.
Example Reporting Framework
Disclosure Confidence: High
Recovery Confidence: Moderate
Commentary:
“The examination findings were broadly consistent with the written disclosure provided. No significant physiological indicators emerged suggesting material omissions within the agreed scope of examination. Specific areas of ongoing recovery boundaries and accountability may benefit from continued therapeutic exploration.”
This example is illustrative only. The specific wording and interpretations in any report depend on the defined scope, the questions formulated, and the wider clinical context.
Important safeguards: All confidence and concern bands must be interpreted cautiously and in context. They apply strictly to the agreed scope of examination. They are not a medical diagnosis, legal verdict, or guarantee of absolute historical truth. They are intended to support therapeutic discussion, never punishment, intimidation, or control.
What a Polygraph Examination Cannot Do
It is essential to understand the ethical and scientific boundaries of polygraph testing before proceeding:
It cannot diagnose sex addiction or Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder (CSBD).
It cannot replace clinical psychotherapy, couples counselling, or medical assessment.
It cannot guarantee absolute historical truthfulness across an entire lifetime.
It cannot prove legal guilt or innocence in criminal proceedings.
It cannot replace formal statutory safeguarding procedures.
It cannot resolve complex relational betrayal on its own without therapeutic follow-through.
It cannot test vague, open-ended, subjective, or emotionally loaded questionnaires.
Trust and Professional Standards
Our practice is grounded in professional ethics, validated examination methodologies, scientific question formulation, and deep respect for the sensitivity of disclosure work.
- Chartered Investigative Psychologist & Polygraph Examiner
- Member of the American Polygraph Association (APA)
- Validated Polygraph Instrumentation & Computerised Analysis
- Objective Written Report with Structured Confidence Bands
- Trauma-Informed, Respectful, and Ethically Governed Practice
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a therapy session?
Can a partner or therapist identify areas they want addressed?
Can medication or anxiety affect the examination?
Will the report be sent to my partner or therapist?
Can this prove someone is telling the truth?
Is this suitable if someone is being pressured to attend?
How are results reported to partners or therapists?
Professional Boundaries and Suitability
Not every enquiry is suitable for a polygraph examination. Dr Keith Ashcroft may decline or postpone an examination where there are concerns about coercion, informed consent, psychological vulnerability, safeguarding, or potential legal prejudice.
Suitability screening is a safeguarding measure rather than an administrative process. It is designed to identify circumstances where proceeding could be counterproductive or where the individual's clinical presentation indicates that further therapeutic preparation would be beneficial before an examination takes place.
A polygraph examination is one component of a broader therapeutic or recovery process and is never presented as a stand-alone treatment. The welfare of both the client and the partner remains central to every decision about whether, and when, an examination should proceed.
Request a Confidential Consultation
If you are considering a polygraph examination for disclosure, accountability, or recovery support, contact Dr Keith Ashcroft to discuss whether the process is appropriate for your situation.
This page is provided for general information only. A polygraph examination is not therapy, counselling, medical diagnosis, legal advice, or a guarantee of truthfulness. Results should be interpreted cautiously and in context. Where there are safeguarding, legal, or mental health concerns, appropriate professional advice should be sought.