PreTest Preparation and Processing Rhonda Meacham LCSW LSOTP LSOE Learning Objectives Identify aspects of therapeuticsupervision cultures that encourage and support honest engagement Learn effective strategies to prepare clients for examinations ID: 581755
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Effective Use of Polygraph:Pre-Test Preparation and Processing
Rhonda Meacham, LCSW, LSOTP, LSOESlide2
Learning Objectives
Identify aspects of therapeutic/supervision cultures that encourage and support honest engagement
Learn effective strategies to prepare clients for examinations
Learn effective strategies to respond to examination resultsSlide3
Concerns/Critiques
There is no good way to validate the test:
-No unique physiological reactions to indicate deception
-Difficult to simulate real world environments
in laboratory studies
Results are rarely, if ever, allowed into court proceedings
Results can be influenced by various factors:
- Examinee and examiner characteristics
- Rapport between the two
- Testing Methods
- Use of countermeasures
No evidence it serves as a deterrent to further acting out behavior
Results can be inaccurate
Possibility of coercing into false admissionsSlide4
WHY USE IT?
The polygraph can elicit disclosures of problematic behavior, deter undesired behavior, detect involvement in problematic behavior, confirm abstinence from problem behavior, and serve as an additional measure to monitor progress and cooperation.Slide5
CLIENT SUITABILITY
Do not test clients with, or under, the following conditions:
Severe mental health needs (psychosis, hallucinations, delusions)
Bipolar, major depression, or paranoid disorders when symptoms are active
Severe or profound intellectual or developmental disabilities
Drug/alcohol intoxication
Chronic medical conditions exacerbated by stress or an acute illness or injury
AdolescenceSlide6
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
The goal is to
i
ncrease public safety and enhance quality of treatment by:
A
dding pertinent information related to risk assessment
Inform treatment planning
Inform level/type of supervisionSlide7
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
For supervision and treatment to be optimal,
p
olygraph must be used with other assessments/ techniques. A well rounded program will:
Use Static Risk Assessment
Use Dynamic Risk Assessment
Use Acute Risk Assessment
Use Assessments of Arousal/Interest
Create treatment plans that target areas of risk
Regularly assess progress
Slide8
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Effective Therapist Features
Empathic Respectful
Genuine Supportive
Directive Flexible
Encouraging Attentive
Trustworthy Rewarding
Slide9
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Passing the polygraph is not the objective.
Meaningful, honest participation in treatment and adopting a healthy, pro-social, fulfilling lifestyle is the objective.Slide10
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Client motivation for secret keeping:
Embarrassment
Fear of rejection
Fear of consequences
Desire to maintain the behavior
Satisfaction is gained from manipulating others
Inappropriate exertion of control/ defianceSlide11
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Breaking down the walls of secret keeping:
Embarrassment-reassurance/understanding, group therapy
Fear of rejection-increase coping capacity, engage supports
Fear of consequences-be reasonable, future projection
Desire to maintain the behavior-decrease the reliance on the behavior, address personality dysfunction
Satisfaction is gained from manipulating others-address personality dysfunction
Inappropriate exertion of control/ defiance-empowerment and address personality dysfunctionSlide12
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Benefits to honesty:
Don’t have to worry about getting caught or being “found out”
Don’t have to worry if you would be rejected if others knew the truth about you
Builds trusting relationships
Receive help from supports
Avoid receiving guidance that’s harmful because someone offered it without having all the informationSlide13
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
To promote honest participation, it is necessary for the treatment provider and supervising agent to respond logically to disclosures and to avoid harsh, unnecessary punishment. Have realistic expectations for recovery and tailor intervention to the actual risks/needs of the client and threats to community safety.Slide14
EXAMINER EXPECTATIONS
Meets training & education set in the APA bylaws
Specialized post-conviction sex offender training (minimum 40 hrs.)
Minimum 30 hrs.
CEU
every 2 yrs.—15 hrs. specific to testing, treatment, or supervision of sex offenders Slide15
EXAM EXPECTATIONS
All exams are to be recorded
Conducted in an environment free of distractions
No more than 4 exams per day—3 maximum for sexual history
Exams should not be less than 90 minutes per exam
Pre-test and post-test interview
Written report summarizing full contact
No more than 4 tests per examinee a yearSlide16
EXAM EXPECTATIONS
Examiner should remain neutral
Examiner should refrain from stating opinion of truthfulness prior to administering the exam
Examiner should review test questions prior to examSlide17
EXAM EXPECTATIONS
Test questions:
Behaviorally focused
Answerable by a “no”
Easily understood
Time specific
Relevant to risk or treatment needsSlide18
EXAM TYPES
Instant offense
Sexual History
Maintenance
MonitoringSlide19
EXAM TYPES
Instant Offense
Explore facts relevant to the case when a client denies the offense, denies the most abusive/invasive acts of the abuse, or denies the frequency/length of the abuse Slide20
EXAM TYPES
Sexual History
After completion of a sexual history questionnaire, explore scope of client’s sexual behaviors
Focus on behaviors that would change risk, needs, and/or prevention strategies
Do not use the exam to confirm frequency of behavior once a pattern has been establishedSlide21
EXAM TYPES
Maintenance
Explore compliance with supervision and treatment expectations
Tailored to the client and focused on behaviors related to risk
Specified timeframe—should not exceed 1 year, but 6 months is preferable Slide22
EXAM TYPES
Monitoring
Explores the possibility a client was involved in unlawful sexual behaviors (re-offense)
Conduct in response to reactions on a maintenance examination
Conduct in response to suspicions client is engaging in high risk behavior
Timeframe is to be specified and can include all or part of the client’s time on supervisionSlide23
EXAM PREPARATION
Prior to the exam, remind client of limits to confidentiality and ways to discuss behavior without triggering mandated reportingSlide24
EXAM PREPARATION
Provide guidance to the client:
If unclear about meaning of questions, ask for clarification
Even if able to legitimately answer “no” to the question, but something else is nagging the conscience, discuss it
If the behavior didn’t occur in the timeframe asked about on the exam, but it did occur outside that timeframe and is nagging the conscience, discuss it
Even if there will be consequences for disclosures, they will likely be less than if waiting to disclose until after responding on the examSlide25
EXAM PREPARATION
Provide guidance to the client, specific to tactics that will likely fail:
Giving partial information to relieve conscience while holding back important facts
Engaging in behaviors to distort the test
Exaggerating their capacity to “beat” the test
Blaming the examiner for the results
Stonewalling after physiologically responding on the exam, claiming no understanding for the responseSlide26
EXAM RESULTS
Specific issue tests: Deception Indicated, No
Deception Indicated, Inconclusive/No
Opinion, Non-cooperation
Exploratory tests: Significant Response, No
Significant Response, Inconclusive/No
Opinion, Non-cooperation Slide27
EXAM RESULTS
What do the results actually mean?
Something about the questions were unsettling to the client. It is helpful to view the exam as a test of conscience vs a lie detector.Slide28
CLIENT RESPONSE
When attempting to avoid meaningful post-test processing:
Categorical denial
Externalize blame to the examiner
Malfunctioning equipment
Distraction
The “not admissible in court” argument
Admit the least damning behaviorSlide29
CONTAINMENT TEAM RESPONSE
Consistently interrupt denials and/or externalization of blame
Iterate expectation that client explain what contributed to lack of comfort with questions
Avoid leading questions/offering opinions about what the client may have withheld
Appropriately adapt supervision to manage potential risks in response to disclosuresSlide30
CONTAINMENT TEAM RESPONSE
Target treatment issues in response to disclosures
N
o disclosures, adapt treatment and supervision as if client is struggling with the behaviors that were the focus of the examinationSlide31
Resources
American Polygraph Association (2009). Model Policy for Post-Conviction Sex Offender Testing (Electronic Version). Retrieved March 8, 2017 from http://www.polygraph.orgSlide32
Contact
Rhonda Meacham, LCSW, LSOTP, LSOE
Clinical Coordinator
Liberty Healthcare Corporation
rmeacham@libertyhealth.com
RMeachamLLC@gmail.com
(630) 347-2873