Drinking Motives Test (DMQ)
People consume alcohol for many different reasons. Research shows that drinking behavior is strongly influenced by underlying psychological motives, such as drinking to enhance positive emotions, to cope with negative feelings, to fit in socially, or to be more sociable. While occasional alcohol use is common, there is considerable variation in why people drink and how these motives relate to patterns of alcohol consumption.
This test is based on the well-established Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ) and measures four primary motivational domains commonly associated with alcohol use.
For each of the following questions, indicate your level of agreement below.
Question 1 of 20
I drink...
To be liked.
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The Drinking Motives Questionnaire was originally developed by Herbert M. Cooper (1994) as a multidimensional self-report instrument designed to assess why individuals consume alcohol. The DMQ conceptualizes drinking behavior as motivated by distinct psychological reinforcement processes—both positive (e.g., increasing enjoyment) and negative (e.g., reducing distress)—and distinguishes between internal and social sources of reinforcement.
The DMQ and its revised versions have been widely used in psychological research and clinical studies to better understand patterns of alcohol use across adolescents and adults. Decades of research suggest that different drinking motives are associated with different risk patterns. For example:
- Coping motives are often linked with heavier or more problematic drinking patterns.
- Enhancement motives are associated with sensation-seeking and celebratory drinking.
- Social motives are commonly associated with moderate, situational drinking.
- Conformity motives may relate to peer pressure and social anxiety.
Importantly, the present test is not a clinical diagnostic tool and should not be interpreted as such. Rather, it is designed as an educational and informational screening instrument intended to help individuals reflect on the reasons they may choose to drink alcohol.
While the DMQ is widely respected in academic research, free online self-report quizzes such as this one are not substitutes for professional evaluation. A definitive assessment of alcohol use disorder or related conditions can be made only by a qualified healthcare professional through a structured clinical interview and standardized diagnostic procedures.
As the publishers of this free online Drinking Motives Questionnaire–based test, we have made efforts to enhance reliability and clarity by applying statistical controls and validation procedures during development. Nonetheless, no online self-report instrument can guarantee precision at the individual level. This test is provided entirely “as-is,” without warranties of any kind, and does not provide professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. For further details regarding the use and limitations of our online instruments, please consult our Terms of Service.
References
- Cooper, H. M. (1994). Motivations for alcohol use among adolescents: Development and validation of a four-factor model. Psychological Assessment.
- Kuntsche, E., Stewart, S. H., & Cooper, M. L. (2008). How stable is the motive–alcohol use link? A cross-national validation of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Why Use This Test?
1. Free. This drinking motives test is delivered to you free of charge and will allow you to obtain your scores related to enhancement, coping, social, and conformity motives.
2. Research-based. The feedback delivered by this instrument is grounded in decades of psychological research on drinking motivations and reinforcement processes.
3. Multidimensional insight. Rather than measuring only how much you drink, this test focuses on why you drink—an important predictor of drinking patterns and potential risk.
4. Developed with professional input. The present test has been developed with reference to established psychological theory and research on alcohol use motivations.