Abstract This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the Baptista Depression Scale adult and screening versions (EBADEP-A and EBADEP-screening) for discrimination of people with a major depressive episode (MDE) or major depressive disorder (MDD) and to compare discriminative capacities. Participants were 187 people, 52 patients, and 135 non-clinical individuals. Results indicated sensitivity equal to 0.92 and specificity equal to 0.88 for EBADEP-A (cut-off = 54), and 0.96 and 0.82, respectively, for EBADEP-screening (cut-off = 17). Findings suggest equivalence between the two versions of EBADEP to discriminate people with MDE or MDD. Results indicate that the two versions can provide a correct diagnostic indicative for MDE and MDD.