Integration of Augmented Reality in Expressive Art Therapy for Borderline Personality Features

The final sample consisted of 20 participants (aged 18-36, males n=5, and females n=15). Half of the sample was assigned to the intervention group, while the other half was assigned to the control group as per convenient sampling method. The intervention group participants were provided with a total of fourteen psychotherapy sessions at Umeed-e-Nau clinic at the Institute of Professional Psychology.

Assemblr Studio: Easy AR Maker (android version 4.1.7) Assemblr studio was used to make augmented reality within the sessions. It is a free android application for turning 2-D and 3-D images into augmented reality. The application was designed by Assemblr (2018) and consists of a marker less based type of augmentation. Rather it uses basic templates and camera picture upload options, transforming a simple image into augmented reality format. It also provides drag and drop options and does not require any coding.

3-D Pen/ Doodling pen A digital 3-D pen was used to contrast art in the sessions. It was a portable and handheld type of machine.

Procedure Approval to conduct this research was taken from the board of the Institute of Professional Psychology, Bahria University, Karachi Campus. The participants were then approached via advertisement on social media platforms highlighting awareness regarding borderline personality features and the objectives of the present research. The sample frame consisted of 36 individuals which were then screened for the inclusion criteria using the Borderline symptoms list. The final 20 participants were then randomly divided into two equal groups, namely the treatment group and the control waiting-list group. The final 20 participants were all made privy to the details and purpose of the research and their consent was taken. Confidentiality was maintained and the participants retained the right to withdraw their participation at any point in the study, as well as remain able to decide not share details of specific traumatic or hurtful life events. Moreover, the researchers took all necessary steps to ensure safety of the participants' wellbeing.

The experimental group's treatment plan for augmented reality-based art therapy interventions comprised of 14 weekly individual standard sessions. Each session was of approximately 90 minutes, duration of which was divided into 5 minutes initial check-in to reflect participant's outer world, 30 minutes for making art, 30 minutes for discussing the art, 10 minutes to wrap up the session, and 5 minutes final check-out to reflect on the session's interventions, explorations, and learning.