Sentence:  "The main message is that it's the interface between individuals and society that causes students who <WSD>identify</WSD> as gay, lesbian, or bisexual the most distress," said study first author Yue Zhao. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To claim an identity; to describe oneself as a member of a group; to assert the use of a particular term to describe oneself.