A controlled trial evaluation of the Australian National University Counselling Centre's 'Get Up & Go' peer-support walking program on interpersonal suicide risk and wellbeing in students

Brief name: Peer-support walking program ‘Get Up & Go’ is a peer-support walking program run by the Australian National University (ANU) Counselling Centre since 2006. The program aims to promote student mental health and wellbeing by providing ANU students with regular opportunities for physical activity and social contact – two recognised protective factors for depression. Participants comprise both undergraduate and postgraduate ANU students who register their interest in participating as a walking partner in the program each semester. Motivations for involvement have included social reasons, health and exercise reasons, improving or managing mood, or developing English skills and social networks. The program links participating students together as walking partners and walks are arranged between the students to take place on a weekly basis at a mutually convenient time and place. The intervention period runs for one university semester, where it is recommended that students walk for at least an hour a week, with walks taking place on weekdays, during daylight hours, and on or around the ANU campus. Participants are encouraged to keep up the exercise component of the program (as opposed to social only), and move onto other exercise activities at the program’s completion at the end of the semester. Intervention adherence was assessed by the primary researcher via dosage questions administered in the intervention group's post-assessment survey. Email reminders sent by the primary researcher to study participants were used as a strategy to maintain fidelity.