Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that negatively affects functioning; however, the relationship between cognitive appraisals and illness-related beliefs and adaptation indices remains unclear. Objective The aim of this review was to assess the relationship between cognitive appraisals, illness beliefs and indicators of adaptation to life with a chronic disease, such as the severity of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and quality of life. Methods A database search was carried out between May 13 and 18, 2022, with no time restrictions. Thirty studies (5 related to cognitive appraisals, 25 related to illness beliefs) were identified. Results The studies identified in the review were of satisfactory quality. An analysis of the articles allowed for a meta-analysis focusing on the relationship between the belief related to illness consequences and the severity of depressive symptoms, which gave an overall correlation estimate of 0.50 [0.44–0.56]. Conclusion Both cognitive appraisals and illness beliefs are related to indicators of rheumatoid arthritis adaptation, such as depressive symptom severity, anxiety and acceptance levels. Further longitudinal research would be crucial in further elucidating the impact of cognitive factors on adjustment level and its trajectories over time.