The study found that ideological identity had a greater impact on college students' drinking behaviors than interpersonal identity. Students who were less ideologically mature engaged in more alcohol-related behaviors with harmful consequences. These were students who lacked commitment to a unifying direction for their lives that stemmed from a stable philosophy of life rooted in religious or philosophical values and occupational interests being pursued through their college studies. Problem drinkers were more likely to lack a philosophy of life that governed the management of school demands in accordance with long-term goals. This suggests that helping students to establish a mature identity based in personal values and life goals is important in making constructive choices about the intensity and consequences of their drinking. A sample of 319 college students completed a series of questions on alcohol-related behavior, as well as the Objective Measure of Ego-Identity Status, which assesses ideological and interpersonal commitments and crises. 2 tables and 37 references