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Contribution title	Challenges in Conducting Biological Psychiatry Research in Child Protective Services in France: Insights from a Pilot Study
Contribution code	D3.057
Authors	Nolwenn Dissaux Bohars Hospital, Brest University Hospital Presenter Nathalie Lavenne-Collot Bohars Hospital, Brest University Hospital Pierre-Antoine Leroux Guillaume Bronsard Bohars Hospital, Brest University Hospital
Form of presentation	Poster
Topic	T07 - Assessment / testing
Abstract	Aims Chronic early-life stress (CEC), particularly in the form of maltreatment, is the most significant risk factor for the development of mental and behavioral disorders in both childhood and adulthood. These disorders are often poorly characterized, presenting as complex, multidimensional symptoms that challenge traditional categorical diagnostic frameworks. Despite its significance, research on the biological impacts of CEC is limited, especially in France. While neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) receive substantial research attention, maltreatment and its effects on neurodevelopment are comparatively underexplored. A major concern for research on CEC in France is that conducting biological psychiatry research in Child Protective Services (Aide Sociale à l’Enfance, ASE) is particularly challenging. In this presentation we focus on with significant barriers to recruitment, logistical constraints, and social resistance to research participation in this population. Methods We explore these obstacles through the lens of a pilot study on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation in foster children. Results Our study highlights the complexities of recruiting participants, the overrepresentation of certain subpopulations, the technical challenges of cortisol sampling, and the biases introduced by recruiting children already receiving psychiatric care. Conclusion Despite a high level of difficulties for conducting biological psychiatry research in foster children, such studies are essential to advancing a multidisciplinary understanding of chronic stress and its neurobiological underpinnings, paving the way for improved interventions.