The current study evaluated the psychometric properties -structural validity and internal consistency- of three theoretical models developed to assess drinking motives (Drinking Motives Questionnaire [DMQ], Drinking Motives Questionnaires-Revised [DMQ-R] y Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaires-Revised [M-DMQ-R]) and explored the relationship between different reasons for drinking and the severity of problems arising from alcohol consumption. The sample was composed by 315 youth and young adults from Argentina, aged from 18 to 40, who reported drinking alcohol in the last three months. To evaluate the theoretical models, a confirmatory factor analysis model was employed using maximum likelihood estimation. The results indicated that DMQ and DMQ-R models exhibited excellent and adequate fit indices, respectively. However, the M-DMQ-R model did not show adequate fit to the data. Regarding concurrent validity, enhancement and coping drinking motives, but not social motives, were associated to higher degrees of severity of alcohol problems. Overall, results indicated that DMQ model is a valid and reliable tool to measure drinking motives of youth and young adults from the general Argentinean population.El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar las propiedades psicométricas -validez de estructura y consistencia interna- de tres modelos teóricos (Drinking Motives Questionnaire [DMQ], Drinking Motives Questionnaires-Revised [DMQ-R] y Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaires-Revised [M-DMQ-R]) desarrollados para medir los motivos de consumo de alcohol y explorar la relación entre estos y la severidad de los problemas derivados. La muestra constó de 315 jóvenes y adultos jóvenes argentinos, con edades entre 18 y 40 años, que reportaron beber alcohol en los últimos tres meses. Para evaluar los modelos teóricos, se utilizaron modelos confirmatorios de análisis factorial con estimación por máxima verosimilitud. Los resultados indicaron que los modelos DMQ y DMQ-R presentaron excelentes y adecuados niveles de ajuste, respectivamente. Sin embargo, el modelo M-DMQ-R no mostró adecuado ajuste a los datos. Respecto a la validez concurrente, los motivos de mejora y de afrontamiento, pero no los motivos sociales, se asociaron a un mayor nivel de severidad de problemas con el alcohol. Los resultados indican que el DMQ representa una herramienta válida y confiable para medir los motivos de consumo de alcohol de jóvenes y adultos jóvenes de la población general argentina.