The influence of acceptance in the progression of pain, physical limitation and depression was explored in the first 2 years of rheumatoid arthritis. Latent growth curve models showed significant increases in pain, physical limitation and depression. Besides that, the levels of pain and physical limitation at the baseline were associated with acceptance but not its progression across time. Therefore, patients with higher scores of acceptance reported less pain and physical limitation. The progression of depression was associated with acceptance; higher acceptance patients had slower growth rates of depression across time, even when pain and physical limitations increased. The inclusion of pain acceptance in clinical practice is discussed.