Change Adaptation Resilience Evaluation Questionnaire for Industry 5.0 Among Workers in High-Tech Manufacturing Companies: Questionnaire Development and Pilot Evaluation Study

Abstract

Abstract Background Despite increasing recognition of human factors in technologically advanced manufacturing, psychological resilience remains an underexplored dimension. Existing studies often rely on generic instruments that fail to capture the specific adaptive challenges faced by workers in high-tech environments. There is a growing need for context-sensitive tools capable of assessing resilience in line with the human-centric vision of Industry 5.0. Objective This study aimed to develop and conduct a preliminary evaluation of the Change Adaptation Resilience Evaluation Questionnaire for Industry 5.0 (CARE-QI 5.0), a multidimensional instrument designed to assess individual and contextual factors contributing to psychological resilience among workers in high-tech manufacturing settings. Methods The questionnaire was developed through a 4-phase process: literature review, expert evaluation, focus groups with operators, and pilot testing within 2 manufacturing companies. CARE-QI 5.0 conceptualizes resilience as a higher-order construct comprising 2 second-order dimensions—individual resilience and contextual resilience—further articulated into 18 first-order subscales. Internal consistency and intersubscale correlations were assessed using data from a sample of workers employed in the mechanical and packaging industries in Northeastern Italy. Results Findings on the 84 items showed good internal consistency across all subscales and meaningful patterns of intercorrelation. External validity showed that problem-solving self-efficacy, cognitive flexibility, and problem-oriented coping were positively associated with both individual-based resilience and a wide range of contextual resources, including support given by organizations, colleagues, and family, as well as openness to change. In contrast, perseverance in the face of difficulties was linked to cognitive inflexibility, avoidance, and seeking change, suggesting the presence of rigid or less adaptive coping functioning. Conclusions CARE-QI 5.0 provides a theoretically grounded and context-sensitive tool for assessing psychological resilience as a multidimensional construct in technologically evolving manufacturing environments. By integrating both individual and contextual protective resources, this instrument captures key adaptive processes relevant to Industry 5.0 scenarios, where human-technology interaction plays a central role. While further psychometric validation is needed, including confirmatory factor analysis and measurement invariance testing, CARE-QI 5.0 shows promise for both theoretical and research use. It can support organizations in monitoring workers’ adaptability and well-being, guiding targeted interventions and training strategies that align with workers’ resilience profiles and their technological experience.