Living Well With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subjects will be selected from the Brigham \& Women's Hospital Arthritis Center and include those enrolled in the BRASS study and then once recruited randomly assigned to either the IFS intervention group or the education group. Both the IFS intervention and education group will participate in their respective programs simultaneously over 9 months. Subject reported measures: Incorporated into the questionnaires are several subject-reported measures, including: The Self-Compassion Scale, Beck Depression Index (BDI-II), SF-12 Health Survey, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), RA Disease Activity Index (RADAI), and Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale. These measures report emotional states, degree and location of arthritis pain, and how that pain affects their daily lives. A monthly encounter form will also be completed by the subject. Physician measures: The physicians who will be monitoring subject health are blind to the study and complete the same measures for subjects in both the IFS intervention and education groups. They will complete a joint count, Global Assessment of health, duration of morning stiffness and ACR functional status. Laboratory testing: Subjects will give blood at the beginning, 3, 6 and 9-month points of the program. This sample will be laboratory-tested for C-reactive protein. Data collection schedule: Subjects will complete a questionnaire at baseline, then at 3, 6 and 9 months. They will give blood samples and undergo a routine physical examination, focusing on their joints at the initial meeting, again at 3, 6, and 9 months into the study.