Expeditious Disclosure of Sexual History via Polygraph Testing: Treatment Outcome and Sex Offense Recidivism

Abstract

Self-disclosure of problematic behavioral history and the timeliness of full disclosure were explored as indicators of treatment responsivity and possible predictors of sexual recidivism. Specifically, this study evaluated the relationships among the variables of expeditious full disclosure of sexual history (measured via polygraph testing), treatment completion status, and sexual recidivism within a sample of 192 convicted sex offenders on probation/parole. The study compared a group of non-expeditious disclosers with expeditious disclosers across several variables (i.e., risk score/level, age of full disclosure, presence of sexual deviance, psychopathy, and denial). The independent variable of expeditious disclosure was defined as having disclosed sexually deviant behavioral history sufficient to produce a “no significant reaction” result on a sexual history polygraph examination (within 12 months of treatment program intake). A 5-year sexual recidivism follow-up period was utilized. Univariate analyses revealed that though expeditious disclosure was positively correlated with treatment completion, it was not a statistically significant factor in predicting sexual recidivism. The study provides emerging evidence that polygraph-facilitated full disclosure of sexual history is related treatment outcome and that it is worthy of additional study with larger samples in regard to any relationship with sexual recidivism.