Factor analysis of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire in a young adult U.S. Army sample

Reasons for alcohol consumption are often conceptualized as deriving from internal and external sources and positive and negative reinforcement. The revised Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ-R) was developed to classify reasons or motives for alcohol use which are associated with different drinking patterns. The factor structure of a subset of DMQ-R items was examined using exploratory factor analysis on a U.S. Army sample, to assess whether the DMQ-R subscales represent drinking motives typically identified by military service members. This study used the Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel, which sampled 10,400 Army soldiers. A total of 4,475 responses were included in the analysis, which corresponded with a weighted sample of 391,185 soldiers. Principal-axis factor analysis with promax rotation identified two factors representing pleasure-seeking/enjoyment and avoiding rejection/"fitting in." These factors may be useful in investigating relationships between drinking motives and alcohol use patterns within the U.S. Army population.