The Comfort of Trust

Donna Roberts uses polygraph tests to confirm or deny infidelity allegations within marriages. “Sometimes the truth hurts,” Roberts says.

By Codi Peterson, Marketing —

My childhood mentor always told me that the best form of trust is to eliminate the need for it. He taught me to encourage and foster the trust my closest associates have in me. For example, my mentor always wanted his wife to be comfortable with him in the workplace. When he needed to meet with women for business meetings over lunch, he would at least introduce the women to his wife or he brought his wife along for the meeting. Trust is incredibly valuable, especially within relationships and marriages.

Polygraph Tests and Trust in Marriage

So what happens when a spouse breaches the boundaries of trust? Many turn to outside help to resolve the matter. Donna Roberts is a polygraph examiner who specializes in domestic issues ranging from financial disputes to child molestation accusations. Couples ranging from newlyweds to senior couples come to her with a variety of issues, but the most common is infidelity. Roberts uses polygraph tests to confirm or deny infidelity allegations within marriages. Throughout each exam, Roberts is able to determine the truthfulness of the answers based on the client’s respiratory rate, blood pressure, sweat levels, and other physical responses. Roberts said that about 60 percent of the time her clients are truthful. An affirmative result calms the tumult and dissipates any worries among the couples—it creates a new-found trust. However, in cases where the clients are found guilty, the spouse typically ends up screaming at Roberts for conducting the test. “Sometimes the truth hurts,” Roberts says. While all couples might not believe that lie detection tests are the best resource for establishing trust, it has definitely proven its ability to expose the truth.

The Costs

Polygraph instruments have been the standard for lie detection since the early 1900s. They are 85 percent accurate in revealing truth, which is why so many couples seek out polygraph examiners for answers. However, there are two major obstacles couples face when seeking a polygraph test.

Instrusive. Imagine that your spouse accuses you of having an affair and demands you take a polygraph test. In order to be subjected to the test, you are hooked up to a variety of wires and apparatuses in order to measure your body’s physical responses. This might induce a sense of fear. What if you fail the test even though you are innocent? You might feel like a criminal undergoing such extreme measures.

Cost. Polygraph tests can be expensive. The average test costs about $800. Many couples, when desperate for truth, pay the fees just for peace of mind. But not all couples truly seeking to solve conflicts can afford it.

Whatever the cost may be, the truth is essential for a marriage to survive after an accusation of betrayal. Would you ever require your spouse to be subjected to a polygraph exam?

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Photo courtesy of Antti T. Nissinen.