WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve’s decision in December to taper its bond-buying campaign reflected increased confidence in the economy and continued uneasiness about the stimulus effort, according to an official account of the December meeting.

The retreat, however, is likely to proceed slowly. The account, published on Wednesday, said most Fed officials still regarded the monthly purchases of Treasury and mortgage-backed securities as effective in stimulating job growth. With unemployment still widespread, it said they saw little justification for completing the retreat from bond buying “now or relatively soon.”

The Fed plans to expand its bond holdings by $75 billion this month, down from $85 billion each month last year, and officials have suggested a similar cut is the most likely result when the Fed’s policy-making committee next meets in late January.

The Fed’s path forward is a final compromise forged by its outgoing chairman, Ben S. Bernanke. Some Fed officials worry that the economy needs still more help; others argue that the Fed already is doing more harm than good.