This document discusses a research project on the relationship between depression and rheumatoid arthritis. The hypothesis is that depression may act as an initial factor that awakens rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease. To test this, the study will compare female patients in the early stages of arthritis who have suffered from depression to similar patients who have not suffered from depression. The methodology involves questionnaires addressing different levels of depression relating to topics like financial problems, self-esteem, and relationships.