Men should be more open to flexible career paths such as contracting, that would allow them to spend more time in the home, one expert has said.

Seven Suphi, a behavioural change specialist and author of Authentic Catalyst, has said that the impact of recession on traditionally male industries such as construction means that some men are more likely to suffer from mental health problems.

"We live in a society where there is free information, and many ways of developing ourselves. By embracing the change and doing what needs to be done to get on, there can be an even brighter future," she added.

This comes after an article in the British Journal of Psychiatry said the changing economic and social environment of the West is having a significant impact on the mental wellbeing of men.

It explained that those men who fulfil a bigger portion of the roles traditionally filled by women will be more susceptible to challenges to male self-esteem.