The Social Context scales were used to assess social, temporal, and motivational factors that interacted to influence alcohol use by adolescents and college students. Alcohol use intensity was measured using three items: frequency of drinking, quantity of drinking, and frequency of drunkenness. Other measures were employed to evaluate the frequency of driving while intoxicated and riding with an impaired driver. The majority of both student groups perceived that all types of alcohol interventions (educational, counseling/clinical, nonalcoholic alternatives, and punitive/monitoring) were at least somewhat effective in reducing alcohol abuse by young people. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that drinking motivations and behaviors had a significant effect on intervention ratings of both groups. Students who drank heavily to enhance fun with others and who perceived their close friends also drank heavily tended to rate punitive/monitoring strategies as less effective. Among college students, those who drank frequently to reduce emotional distress and because of peer pressure were likely to rate several specific educational programs as effective in reducing alcohol abuse. Findings are interpreted within a social marketing framework to identify student-centered alcohol intervention strategies. 18 references and 4 tables