Subtheme	Study	Direct participant data	Author description of data
Support of friends and family	Campbell 2001	Stanley: "If perhaps my wife would work with me and you had a bit of competition, but I feel such a fool standing on one leg and going up and down on my own and I tends to drop it I do. I'm not very strong disciplined on that, no. I know some people can be so, but not me. I suppose if there was a really good reason I would."	1 participant stopped the exercises because it was difficult to do them alone and, as he had not noticed much improvement in his symptoms, there did not seem to be a strong rationale for continuing.
	Fisken 2016	"You know, you're not stuck at home all the time, it's a way of getting out." "It's nice to be out in a group and not feel so isolated so it was a good, psychological it was, really good." "I think it's important to be with other people, how other people cope and that you're not alone and there are other people you know, in similar situations." p.15.	‐
	Petursdottir 2010	"Yes, my wife, naturally, she encourages me." "It [the experience of lack of support] was, just, what should I say, totally pathetic…. I guess men are not all equally understanding." p.2020.	The support, caring and encouragement of other people were among important external factors influencing how much the participants exercised. Most of the participants seemed to feel the need for such encouragement. Yet, when talking about the family's attitudes toward the disease and the importance of exercise, some of the women expressed having a hard time justifying to themselves and their families their need to spend time exercising.
	Stone 2015	"One of my friends who knows about my arthritis asked me if I ever exercise." "Exercise?!" I said, "What could I do with exercise?!" Then she said she would work out with me if I wanted to. That was the first time I ever seriously thought about exercising." pp.15‐16. "I know [my husband] supports being active, but I never really felt overly supported until my youngest asked if she could come with me on walks. The shocking interest in my exercise habits motivated me to want to exercise more, and be a great role model." p.16.	Participants expressed feeling facilitated toward physical activity adoption with high levels of social support stemming from their family and friends. p.15. Other participants contemplated physical activity if they had support from their family members. More specifically, spouses and children were cited as being the most important family members in facilitating physical activity adoption. p.16.