To answer the question in the title of your post, no, telling the truth is not necessarily enough to pass a polygraph "test." Polygraph testing has no scientific basis: it's accuracy is closer to chance than to perfection. The only people who claim 98% accuracy for the polygraph are those making a living off of it.

And yes, polygraph "tests" include questions that are not related to the main issue. These are called "control" questions, and your reactions to them are compared to your reactions to the relevant questions. Sometimes these "control" questions can be quite personal and embarrassing. If you'd care to tell me more about the kind of behavior of which you've been accused, I could give you examples of the kinds of "control" questions you might be asked if you decide to go through with a polygraph examination.

Before you decide one way or another about the polygraph, I suggest that you educate yourself further about this pseudoscientific procedure. I think you'll find our e-book, The Lie Behind the Lie Detector to be an eye opener. See especially Chapters 1 and 3.

Without going into details I have been accused of something that absolutely ticks me off. After reading about how polygraphs are 98 percent accurate, I felt pretty good about taking one. Now, after reading your posts about passing......, than failing... than passing again, and all the other horror stories, now I am not so sure. If they are accurate they should be constant. I get so angry and emotional about this accusation that now I am afraid these emotions well be read as lieing.  For example when asked the question I answer a resounding  "NO NO NO"  is the needle going to go nuts. Do I have to answer questions that dont have any thing to do with the accusation but are extremely personal or can I ask for them to reword and refuse to answer or does that make me look guilty too. I just want to address this accusation that I am innocent of.  I do not want to answer personal questions that do not directly address the accusation.  I know...I know..I do not have to take this test....I want to. I want to get this thing behind me.
         Thank you for your help