Intermediate outcomes pursued by practitioners: A qualitative analysis

Abstract

Intermediate outcomes are an important class of outcomes that usually are pursued in the process of treatment. They consist of the necessary preconditions, or the facilitators, for successful attainment of the desired treatment goals—the ultimate outcomes. But empirical research on interventions and treatment effectiveness has paid little attention to the role of intermediate outcomes in the success of treatment, and the intermediate outcomes nested within or characterizing social work interventions have not been explicated sufficiently. This article is based on a study of the treatment records of 141 clients treated by 69 social workers in community family agencies. Qualitative data analysis was used to explicate and categorize the intermediate outcomes that were pursued in these treatments. The findings yielded a rich variety of intermediate outcomes, which were classified into a number of conceptual categories characterizing social services. The article discusses the findings within the context of the method used and addresses implications for further research.

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