Purpose Exercise motivation (EM) is related to individual capabilities and social support. However, in support facilities for people with disabilities, it is susceptible to a lack of social support. In this study, we classified EM into Autonomous Motivation (AM) and controlled motivation (CM) and then examined the influence of social support. Method Thirty-three residents from a support facility for people with disabilities in Japan participated in this study. We conducted a hierarchical multiple regression analysis in which age, gender and time since admission were entered in Step 1, mobility and self-efficacy as individual capabilities in Step 2, and family support, facility support and peer support as social support in Step 3. Result A significant increase in variance from Step 2 to Step 3 was found for both AM (Δ R 2 = 0.504, Δ F = 12.18, p < .001) and CM (Δ R 2 = 0.269, Δ F = 3.491, p = .031). The results also showed that AM was higher among those with high family and facility support, and CM was higher among those with low family and high peer support. Conclusions Social support was a more significant predictor of EM among participants than individual capabilities. KEY MESSAGES Among residents of support facilities for people with disabilities, assessing not only individual capabilities but also social support status can lead to better understandings of exercise motivation (EM). To enhance facility residents’ autonomous motivation (AM), it is necessary to intervene after evaluating family and facility support. When family support is not readily available among facility residents, efforts should be made to encourage residents to interact with each other to increase peer support.

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