The Motivational Structure Questionnaire (MSQ) identifies problem drinkers' maladaptive motivational patterns that underlie their motivations for drinking alcohol. Respondents name their current concerns and characterize them along dimensions that reveal their motivational structure. A computer program then generates quantitative indices and a motivational profile to depict significant features of the respondent's motivational structure and identify areas of motivational problems impacting their drinking. The MSQ can be used at the beginning of treatment to inform Systematic Motivational Counseling aimed at changing maladaptive motivational patterns underlying alcohol use.