Résumé
University students are at risk for psychological distress and sedentary behaviour due to academic and lifestyle-related stressors (e.g., living away from home and academic pressure; Gyurcsik et al., 2004). Exercise is an effective mental health intervention, particularly for adults experiencing anxiety and depression (Stonerock et al., 2015). UWorkItOut UWin is a 6-week supervised exercise training and counselling program that has reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression in sedentary university students (Muir et al., 2020). Social support is a key determinant of physical activity and a protective factor against psychological distress (Barber et al., 2012; Merianos et al., 2013).The Buddy System pilot intervention was implemented to support exercise adherence through social support among university students. The purpose of the current study was to examine baseline characteristics of referred students and explore associations between physical activity (PA) and mental health. The sample included N= 89 students, primarily female (67%), unemployed (56%), in fourth year or below (67%), and reported moderate levels of PA (64%). One-way ANOVAs indicated students in 5th year undergraduate or above reported significantly higher scores on the mental health subscales of depression (p = .024) and loss of behavioural and emotional control (p = .019), indicating greater psychological distress. These findings align with research suggesting distress worsens across the degree course, with depression peaking in the final academic year (Bewick et al., 2010; Szepe et al., 2024). Contributing factors include increased academic and non-academic demands, financial stress, isolation, and reduced autonomy over schedules (Javadizadeh et al., 2025).
