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Important Information for CSAT and Fidelity Testing

Find a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist
International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals
American Association for Sex Addiction Therapy

In the wake of infidelity or compulsive sexual behavior, the most devastating casualty is the safety of knowing what is real. For a partner navigating betrayal trauma, the human need to trust is not a luxury—it is a fundamental requirement for psychological safety, emotional regulation, and relationship repair.  When a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) integrates a polygraph examination into the recovery process, it is not used as a punitive measure or a weapon. Instead, it serves as a highly structured, objective tool designed to address the uncertainty that can impede healing.  While a polygraph is not a, cure for, mistrust, it serves as a structured, treatment-integrated tool.

Polygraph Testing for CSAT and Fidelity

If you are considering using polygraph for this purpose, you must read this.

Client Preparation & Expectation Guide

What to Expect During Your Treatment/Recovery Exam

 

A polygraph examination can feel intimidating, particularly during relationship recovery. This guide explains how the process works, what is expected of you, and how we protect the accuracy of your test.  Our goal is not to trap you, but to provide a structured, scientifically sound environment where your truth can be accurately recorded.

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1. The Structured Workflow

Your appointment will consist of three distinct phases. Sensors are only attached during the second phase.

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Phase 1: The Pre-Test Interview: We will discuss your recovery boundaries, review the background of the case, and read through every single test question word-for-word.

Phase 2: The Chart Collection: Sensors are attached to track your breathing, sweat gland activity, and cardiovascular changes. We will run the questions multiple times.

Phase 3: Data Analysis: The sensors are removed, and the physiological data is scored against strict objective criteria.

 

2. The Golden Rule: Clearing "Outside Issues"

During the pre-test interview, you will be instructed to disclose all relevant, significant, or adjacent memories related to the test questions. This is the most critical step to ensure a valid test.  Why this matters: If your brain is hiding or fixating on a secondary memory that sits near the test question, you will experience anxiety when that question is asked. Even if you are being 100% truthful to the exact words of the question, that internal weight can cause a sharp physiological reaction.  Your responsibility: You must clear your psychological slate during the interview. Bringing up adjacent slips or worries before the sensors are attached ensures that outside mental noise does not ruin an otherwise passing chart.

 

3. Rules of Question Formulation

To protect you from false positives and ensure scientific validity, our questions follow strict American Polygraph Association guidelines: 

  • No Mind Reading: We do not test thoughts, desires, fantasies, or internal motives. Questions only ask about past physical actions.

  • No Subjective Words: We do not use vague terms like "watching," "lingering," or "acting out." You will always know exactly what physical behavior is being asked about.

  • No Surprise Questions: You will see and approve every question before the test. No surprise or trick questions are ever permitted.

  • Strict "Yes" or "No": Every question is closed-ended and requires a flat, direct answer.

 

4. How to Prepare Physically

Physiological testing requires your body to be operating at its normal baseline. Please follow these instructions:

  • Sleep and Nutrition: Get a normal night’s sleep before your exam and eat how and when you normally would before the exam. Do not fast. 

  • Medications: Take all regularly prescribed maintenance medications exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not alter your medical routine for this test.

  • Caffeine and Nicotine: Consume your normal daily amount of caffeine or nicotine. Do not artificially increase or completely eliminate them if they are part of your daily routine.

 

A Note on Nervousness

It is completely normal to feel nervous. Polygraph scoring algorithms account for baseline situational anxiety. Being nervous will not cause you to fail. Physiological reactions to Deception are distinct from general nervousness, provided you have been completely honest and cleared all adjacent memories during the pre-test interview.

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