Supervised Research Experience

Senior Implementation Research Assistant

The Baker Center for Children and Families, Harvard Medical School Affiliate

Aug 2025 - Feb 2026

Research Consultant

University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, Research Corporation of the University of Hawaiʻi

March 2025 - June 2025

Implementation Research Assistant

The Baker Center for Children and Families, Harvard Medical School Affiliate

Sept 2022 - Sept 2024

Research Assistant

Hawaiʻi State Department of Health, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Division

April 2021 - Sept 2024

Lab Membership

Graduate Assistant

RISE Lab, Hawaiʻi Pacific University, Dr. Veronica M. Acosta, PhD

Sept 2022 - Dec 2023

Research Assistant

BRIDGE Lab, Hawaiʻi Pacific University, Dr. Kelsie H. Okamura, PhD

Jan 2021 – Sept 2022

Lab Member

Equalab, Goldsmiths University of London, Dr. Keon West, DPhil

Sept 2015 – Sept 2016

Research in Progress

Pascual, S., Carreira Ching, D.L., Keller, N., Abdinoor, D., Paul, L.P., Shimabukuro, S.K., Okamura, K.H. (Under review). A longitudinal examination of an electronic health record system implementation and usability in a publicly-funded mental health system. Hawaiʻi Journal of Health & Social Welfare.

Publications

Rapadas, C.C., Goshgarian-Miller, S., Yamane, R.M., Carreira Ching, D.L., Primack, Z., Yoshizumi-Kim, N., Palafu, T. Chin, S.K., Almanza, P., Park, A.L., Okamoto, S.K., Okamura, K.H. (2026). Localizing prevention: Insights from youth voices on culturally grounded substance use prevention implementation in Windward Oʻahu. Translational Issues in Psychological Science.

Okamura, K.H., Cramer, M. A., Palafu, T., Helm, S., Dalisay, F., Primack, Z., Carreira Ching, D. L., Goshgarian-Miller, S., Liu, M., Chin, S. K., Marshall, S. M., Saladino, P. A., Kon, Z. K., Song, S. D., Yamane, R., Yoshizumi-Kim, N., Rapadas, C. C., & Okamoto, S. K. (2026). Hoʻouna Pono: A 20-year journey of designing, implementing, and sustaining prevention for rural, indigenous communities. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 21(31), 1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-026-00715-8

Carreira Ching, D. L., Daniels, S., Freitas, J. M. N., Goebert, D., Kahili-Heede, M., Keaulana, S., Okamura, K. H., Palafu, T., Riley, L., & Yoshizumi-Kim, N. (2025). Hoʻokō: Uplifting kānaka ʻōiwi youth mental health. In N. Liu (Eds.), For the next generation: Mental health in Asian American & Pacific Islander youth (XX ed., pp. X-X). John Wiley & Sons.

Carreira Ching, D. L., Palafu, T., Goebert, D., Okamura, K. H., Rehuher, D., Riley, L., Suʻesueʻe, A., Yoshizumi-Kim, N. (2025). Pacific Islander youth mental health in the United States. In N. Liu (Ed.), For the next generation: Mental health in Asian American & Pacific Islander youth (XX ed., pp. X-X). John Wiley & Sons

Snyder, S. E., Grassetti, S. N., Carreira Ching, D. L., Primack, Z., & Rudd, B. N. (2025). Provider and caregiver preferences for trauma-informed intervention: Results from a best-worst scaling exercise. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0002025

Palafu, T., Carreira Ching, D. L., Acosta, V. M., Okamoto, S. K., & Okamura, K. H. (2024). Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders’ identity and housing status: The impact on historical trauma and percieved stress. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(9), 1249. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091249

Okamura, K. H., Jackson, D., Carreira Ching, D. L., Suh, D. E., Hartsock, T. L. R., Hee, P. J., & Shimabukuro, S. K. (2024). 30 years of youth system of care lessons learned - A qualitative study of Hawaiʻi’s partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. BMC Health Services Research, 24, 658. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11114-9 here

Oral Presentations, Symposium, Trainings Provided, etc.

Okamura, K. H., Palafu, T. R., Goshgarian-Miller, S., Yamane, R., Almanza, P., Carreira Ching, D. L., Primack, Z., Rapadas, C., Chin, S. K., & Okamoto, S. K. (2026, May). Mohala Na Pua: Community-driven drug prevention implementation for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth in Hawaiʻi. Presentation in P. O’Neill (Chair) & S. Okamoto (Discussant) Integrating Cultural Relevance, Youth Engagement, and Implementation Science for Multilevel Substance Use Prevention. [Symposium presented]. The 34th Annual Society for Prevention Research, Washington, DC.

Carreira Ching, D. L., Okamura, K. H., Marshall, S. M., Pham, N. N., Yoshizumi-Kim, N., Chin, S. K., Saldino, P. A., Kon, Z., Song, S. D., Palafu, T., Yamane, R., Goshgarian-Miller, S., Rapadas, C., & Okamoto, S.K. (2026). Building culturally grounded substance use prevention curricula for Hawaiʻi's youth in Hawaiʻi schools. [Breakout session presented]. E Ola Kākou: A Health Education Symposium.

Carreira Ching, D. L., Okamura, K. H., , Marshall, S. M., Pham, N. N., Yoshizumi-Kim, N., Chin, S. K., Saldino, P. A., Kon, Z., Song, S. D., Palafu, T., Yamane, R., Goshgarian-Miller, S., Rapadas, C., & Okamoto, S.K. (2025). Building culturally grounded substance use prevention curricula for Hawaiʻi's youth in Hawaiʻi schools. [Breakout session presented]. Hawaiʻi Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Conference.

Marshall, S.M., Pham, N.N., Yoshizumi-Kim, N., Chin, S.K., Saladino, P.A., Kon, Z., Song, S.D., Palafu, T., Yamane, R., Carreira Ching, D.L., Okamura, K.H., & Okamoto, S.K. (2025, September). ‘Ohana Feud!: Incorporating game design elements into an evidenced-based substance use prevention curriculum. [Invited oral presentation presented]. Native Children’s Research Exchange (NCRE) 2025 Biennial Conference, Denver, CO.

Carreira Ching, D. L. (2024, September 24). Understanding the historical trauma impact of colonization on Native Hawaiian health and well-being: A scoping review. [Invited talk presented]. Hawaiʻi State Trauma Informed Care Task Force.

Palafu, T., Carreira Ching, D. L. (2024, September 3). Healing through heritage: A discussion of historical trauma in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. [Invited roundtable presented]. Evidence-Based Services (EBS) Committee of Hawaiʻi.

Carreira Ching, D. L., Okamura, K. H., Jackson, D. S. (2024, May). 30 years of youth system of care lessons learned: Hawaii’s partnership with SAMHSA. [Paper presented]. The National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health 2024 System of Care Virtual Summit.

Pascual, S., Carreira Ching, D.L., Keller, N., Vale, D., Abdinoor, D., Puakina Paul, L., Shimabukuro, S.K., & Okamura, K.H. (2023, November 16-19). A longitudinal examination of an electronic case management system implementation determinants in a publicly-funded mental health system. Presentation in A.C. Ng (Chair) and A. Ward (Discussant), Fiscal, organizational, and end-user considerations for improving use of evidence in large scale healthcare systems. [Symposium presented]. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 57th Annual Convention, Seattle, WA.

Pascual, S., Carreira Ching, D.L., Keller, N., Okamura, K.H. (2023, July). MAX system implementation analyses. [Oral presentation presented]. Hawaiʻi State Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division, Expanded Steering Committee, Honolulu, HI.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Palafu, T., & Okamura, K.H. (2023, July). Historical trauma considerations of health and wellbeing for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders in Hawaiʻi. [Training presented]. Kalihi Kokua Valley Chuukese Minister Uut. Honolulu, HI.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Palafu, T., Pascual, S., Kobzar, I., Hartsock, T.R., Okamura, K.H. (2023, June 16). Understanding the historical trauma impact of colonization on Native Hawaiian health and wellbeing. [Oral presentation presented]. 3rd International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Pascual, S., Palafu, T., & Okamura, K.H. (2023, May 16). Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander health and well-being. [Training presented]. Parents and Children Together, Kalihi Connection Coalition. Honolulu, HI.

Joseph, R., Garcia, P., Carreira Ching, D.L., & Acosta, V. (2023, April 14). Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders perceptions of and experiences with law enforcement and the justice system. [Oral presentation presented]. 16th Annual Hawaiʻi Pacific University Psychology Conference, Honolulu, HI.

Eykel, R.P., & Carreira Ching, D.L. (2022, September 15). A dive into the Native Hawaiian context. [Oral presentation presented]. Native Children’s Research Exchange Conference, Aurora, CO.

Okamura, K.H., Bordeau, T., Hartsock, T.L.R., Carreira Ching, D.L., & Keller, N. (2021, April 30). A comprehensive model to individualize evidence-informed treatment to support families. [Training presented]. 18th Annual Hawaiʻi International Summit of the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma, Honolulu, HI.

Poster Presentations

Yamane, R. M., Kikut-Stein, A., Pham, N. N., Pascual, S., Goshgarian-Miller, S., Rapadas, C. C., Chertavian, C., Carreira Ching, D. L., Yoshizumi-Kim, N., Okamoto, S. K., Okamura, K. H. (2026). Insights from Windward O‘ahu youth: An exploration of AI-assisted qualitative coding on focus groups assessing a culturally grounded substance use prevention program. [Poster accepted]. Annual Hawaiʻi-Pacific Evaluation (H-PEA) Conference hosted by H-PEA and the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment-Hawaiʻi Affiliate, Kāneʻohe, HI

Rapadas, C.C., Goshgarian-Miller, S., Yamane, R.M., Carreira Ching, D.L., Primack, Z., Yoshizumi-Kim, N., Palafu, T. Chin, S.K., Almanza, P., Park, A.L., Okamoto, S.K., Okamura, K.H. (2026). Localizing prevention: Insights from youth voices on culturally grounded substance use prevention implementation in Windward Oʻahu. [Poster presented]. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 2nd Annual Student Conference, Honolulu, HI.

Trevino, V . L., Carreira Ching, D. L., Okamura, K. H., Kim, B. S. K., & Higa-McMillan, C. (2025, November). Going, going, gone: Provider turnover in Hawaiʻi’s youth public mental health system [Poster presented]. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, 59th Annual Convention, New Orleans, LA.

Rapadas, C.C., Yamane, R.M., Carreira Ching, D.L., Goshgarian-Miller, S., Yoshizumi-Kim, N., Almanza, P., Chin, S.K., Okamoto, S.K., Okamura, K.H. (2025, October). Community-based participatory evaluation of a culturally grounded substance use prevention curriculum with Windward Oʻahu youth. [Poster accepted]. Hawaiʻi Behavioral Health and Wellness Convention, Honolulu, HI.

Palafu, T., Rodriguez, A., Cabral, M.K., Carreira Ching, D.L., Okamoto, S., & Okamura, K.H. (2023, December 1). Geo VapeImpact: Analyzing vape store proximity and its influence on youth vaping behaviors. [Poster presented]. Hawaiʻi Pacific University Undergraduate Infastructure Student Research Center, Biomedical and Health Research Symposium, Kāneʻohe, HI.

Palafu, T., Carreira Ching, D.L., Acosta, V., Okamoto, S., & Okamura, K.H. (2023, December 1). Historical trauma, houselessness, and percieved stress in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Youth. [Poster presented]. Hawaiʻi Pacific University Undergraduate Infastructure Student Research Center, Biomedical and Health Research Symposium, Kāneʻohe, HI.

Wong, A.W.W.A., Carreira Ching, D.L., Orimoto, T.E., Slavin, L.A., Okamura, K.H., & Hee, P.J. (2023, November 17). Cultivating a vignette-based knowledge measure for practical use in a public mental health service system. [Poster presented]. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 57th Annual Convention, Seattle, WA.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Palafu, T., Okamura, K.H. (2023, August 5). Understanding the historical trauma impacts of colonization on Native Hawaiian health and well-being: A scoping review. [Poster presented]. American Psychological Association 2023 Convention, Washington, DC.

Garcia, P., Carreira Ching, D.L., Acosta, V. M., & Hiura, A. (2023, August 5). Examining adjudication history for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander youth. [Poster presented]. American Psychological Association 2023 Convention, Washington, DC.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Acosta, V.M., Hiura, A., Garcia, P., Logreco, S., Hsu, S., & Higa, C. (2023, April 26). Considerations of acculturative stress and trends in background factors of Micronesian youth at Hawaiʻi Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF). [Poster presented]. 20th Annual Hawaiʻi International Summit of the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma, Honolulu, HI.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Romero, K.C., Hee, P.J., Orimoto, T., Slavin, L.A., & Okamura, K.H. (2022, November 17-20). Development of a vignette-based measure of practice element and treatment target knowledge for training and implementation in youth public mental health services. [Poster presented]. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 56th Annual Convention, New York, NY.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Okamoto, S.K., & Okamura, K.H. (2022, November 17-18). Scoping review methods of understanding the historical trauma impact of colonization on Native Hawaiian health and well-being. [Poster presented]. 2022 Behavioral Health & Wellness Convention, Honolulu, HI.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Okamoto, S.K., & Okamura, K.H. (2022, September 15-16). Understanding the historical trauma impact of colonization on Native Hawaiian health and well-being: A scoping review methodology. [Poster presented]. Native Children’s Research Exchange Conference, Aurora, CO.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Acosta, V.M., Hiura, A., & Higa, C. (2022, August 29). Recidivism and risk factor trends of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) crossover youth. [Poster presented]. 27th Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma San Diego International Summit, San Diego, CA.

Carreira Ching, D.L., Acosta, V.M., Gerson, J., Harris, M., Hiura, A., & Higa, C. (2022, March 30). Trauma-related mental health trends and family history factors of Native Hawaiian adolescents at the Hawaiʻi Youth Correctional Facility. [Poster presented]. 19th Annual Hawaiʻi International Summit of the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma, Honolulu, HI.

Journal Review

Participation in the peer-review process under the supervision of a licensed psychologist at the following journals:

Evidence-Based Practice in Child & Adolescent Mental Health (Ad Hoc), 2025, 1

The Behavior Therapist, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (Ad Hoc), 2023, 2

American Psychologist (Ad Hoc), 2023, 1