To analyze the effect of close interpersonal contact on the communication process of schizophrenics, 30 hospitalized male schizophrenics were asked to associate to TAT-like cards under 2 conditions of E-involvement. The condition of close personal contact was where E interviewed S directly, made use of personal pronouns, and at-attempted to promote a relatively close relationship; the condition of remote personal contact was where S received nonpersonalized instructions from a tape recorder operated by E. As compared to 30 hospitalized medical patients, content of speech of the schizophrenic patients was indistinguishable from controls except for irrelevancies. Degree of personal contact did not seem to affect S's communication. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)