Goals and Goal Attainment:

Abstract

Social workers in private practice appear to be realizing more of their professional goals than are their agency counterparts. However, many of these goals appear to be considerably more individualistic than altruistic. This empirical study compares the relative professional goals and outcomes of agency and private practitioners as to the goals they have and the degree to which each group reachcs them. The findings reveal that both groups wantcd to hclp peoplc and improve societal conditions but that private workers werc more interested in maximizing professional autonomy. I-lowcvcr, they are also more entrepreneurial than altruistic.